Welcome! This website was created on 08 Sep 2010 and last updated on 18 Apr 2024. The family trees on this site contain 81441 relatives and 447 photos. If you have any questions or comments you may send a message to the Administrator of this site.
I have had some interest in my family's heritage for years and with the help and research by many other relatives I have been able to put together this family tree. This site may become quiet large with the inclusion of many of their in-laws as well as far distant relatives. I do not wish to name individuals as they are numerous but with their generous help, research and time I have been able to extend my tree even further.
If anyone wishes to have their contributions noted along with their name I am happy to edit this page to include their name. If anyone finds they could contribute please feel free to send me a message.
To start with I intended to just include both sides of my family which is Grambeau & Nuske, Grambau, Krause, Noske and a little about my in-laws, however as the interest grew I found it difficult to find when I should call it quits, so decided to let the information grow (with the help of many) and see where it leads. So, you will notice that there are people’s names on this site that not directly related, so I decided that anyone that has reason to believe their family is connected to mine no matter how distant (It is a way for them to have the beginnings of their own tree albeit part of mine).
I thank everyone that has contributed to this site and if there is anyone else that may have any information like new births/deaths etc. please feel free to contact me.
*****************************************************************************
First World War, 1914 - 1918.
In their early years here in South Australia, the Germans remained within close knit communities centered on the Lutheran Faith and were somewhat removed from the rest of society by their language and traditions. With the passing of years, the Germans began to mingle more and inter-marry with non-German settlers.
The great war of 1914-1918 marked a large turning point in the lives of many German people. German place names, schools, or anything to do with these people was treated with suspicion - so much so that the Government of the day saw it fit to close their schools, rename all geographical place-names and prohibit the publishing of German newspapers. Many with German names were interned in camps even though they may have been born in Australia, and their children fighting in the Australian Forces.
The Government changed 69 place-names of German origin in South Australia which were obliterated by an Act of Parliament. The Act that closed all Lutheran Schools in 1917 was repealed in 1924 and many schools were unable to reopen for many years.
Many Germans tried to overcome the prejudice by changing their names, and also by dispensing with many of their German customs. With the large scale migration of European families after the Second World War, the Australian attitude to minority groups changed and interest grew in researching the customs and history of many German families who, by this time, had become assimilated into the Australian way of life.
Many of the migrants sailed on ships that left from Bremen in the northern area of Germany.
[Extract from Rosenbergs: from Grunberg].
***************************************************************************************************
Changes to German Place Names in South Australia.
During World War I anti-German feeling ran high in South Australia. Despite the Lutheran communities pledging support for the British Crown and those of German descent contributing to the Wounded Soldiers Fund, "Germans" were victimised. It mattered not if the German-born were naturalised or if an Australian-born were a third generation born in Australia.
The German newspaper, schools and clubs were closed. Many, particularly community leaders, were interned, at first on Torrens Island and later in New South Wales. Some internees had sons serving with the Australian Army and many of these were casualties of the war. Other "Germans" lost their jobs, leaving their families in financial difficulties. Hermann Robert Homburg, born 1874 in Norwood to a father who had arrived 20 years earlier, was forced to resign - and he was the Attorney- General!
By 1917 the anti-German frenzy had spread to German place names. A Nomenclature Committee was set up to make recommendations for changes from names of "foreign enemy origin" to British or South Australian native names. Some suggested names were altered by the Government. The Nomenclature Act was passed in late 1917 and the final list of sixty-nine South Australian place name changes were gazetted in January 1918. Some names were translations into English, eg Steinfeld to Stonefield, Bethanien to Bethany. Others were given an aboriginal name, eg Friedrichswalde to Tarnma, Mount Ferdinand to Mount Warrabillinna. Other names commemorated the battles in France eg Verdun, Polygon Ridge, Jutland, or the names of Australian military leaders, eg Haig, Allenby, Jellicoe.
Yet the committee overlooked some German names. The capital city, Adelaide, had been named for the German-born wife of King William IV. Sedan was noted at the time as the name of a German victory in the 1870 War. However a newspaper correspondent explained that it commemorated the French defeat rather than the German victory!
Hahndorf, which had been changed to Ambleside, reverted to its original name in 1935. So it is possible that someone, according to the official records, was born and died in Hahndorf and married in Ambleside without changing his residence! Other place names were changed back in 1975 and 1986. Some of these places have been "swallowed" by nearby suburbs.
It is pleasing to note that in 1971 the Hundred of Bockelberg was proclaimed on Eyre Peninsula. George Baron Bockelberg, MP, was the Australian-born son of a German colonist, Fedor Baron Bockelberg. Another son, Felix Baron Bockelberg, was killed in action 3-5-1918 at Es Salt, Palestine. The naming is a step towards recognising and honouring the German settlers who contributed so much to South Australia and the nation.
There were also German place names changed in other states. The following is a list of the South Australian changes during WWI with the location and later changes noted. A date only in the later changes indicates when the placename reverted to its former German name.
************************************************************************
State. Old name. New name. Date of name change. Notes.
SA Bartsch's Creek. Yedlakoo Creek. 10 January 1918. Reverted to Bartsch Creek 1986
QLD Bergen. Murra Murra. October 1916. Bergen is a locality in the Toowoomba Region. Murra Murra is a property within the locality (not to be confused with another property of the same name in the locality of Nebine).
QLD Bergenside. Neuve. August 1916. Neuve is a village within the locality of Bergen. It surrounds the former railway station.
SA Berlin Rock. Panpandie Rock. 10 January 1918.
SA Bethanien. Bethany. 10 January 1918.
SA Bismarck. Weeroopa. 10 January 1918.
QLD Bismarck. Maclagan. March 1916.
TAS Bismarck. Collinsvale. 1 July 1915.
TAS Bismarck Avenue, Surrey Hills. Warwick Avenue. December 1918.
VIC Bismarck Avenue, Surrey Hills. Warwick Avenue. December 1918.
NSW Bismarck Street (Canterbury). Cressy Street. December 1914.
NSW Bismarck Street (Kogarah). Kitchener Street. 10 November 1914.
TAS Bismarck Street, Doncaster. Victoria Street circa 1914.
VIC Bismarck Street, Doncaster.Victoria Street circa 1914.
SA Blumberg Birdwood 10 January 1918.
SA Blumenthal Lakkari 10 January 1918.
SA Buchfelde Loos 10 January 1918. Reverted to Buchfelde
SA Cape Bauer Cape Wondoma 10 January 1918. Reverted to Cape Bauer in 1948.
SA Carlsruhe Kunden 10 January 1918.
NSW Deutschland Street (Canterbury) Onslow Street December 1914.
SA Ehrenbreistein Mount Yerila 10 January 1918.
QLD Engelsburg Kalbar July 1916.
QLD Fahley Kilbirnie
SA Ferdinand Creek. Ernabella Creek 10 January 1918.
SA Friedrichstadt Tangari 10 January 1918.
SA Friedrichswalde Tarnma 10 January 1918.
QLD Friezland Kuridala
SA Gebhardt's Hills Polygon Ridge 10 January 1918. Reverted to Gebhardt Hills in 1986
QLD Gehrkevale Mount Mort The Post Office was renamed Mount Grace in about September 1916, then Mount Mort in about November 1916[10]
SA German Creek Benara Creek 10 January 1918. Reverted in 1986
NSW German Creek Empire Vale 1 May 1915.
QLD German Gardens Belgian Gardens January 1915.
SA German Pass Tappa Pass 10 January 1918.
NSW German's Hill Lidster 1 February 1916.
NSW Germanton Holbrook 20 September 1915.
TAS Germantown Lilydale
TAS Germantown Grovedale 1 March 1916.
VIC Germantown Grovedale 1 March 1916[31]
SA Germantown Hill Vimy Ridge 10 January 1918. Became part of Bridgewater; road name (only) reverted to Germantown Hill Road
SA Gottlieb's Well Parnggi Well 10 January 1918.
QLD Gramzow Carbrook
SA Grunberg Karalta 10 January 1918. Reverted to Gruenberg in 1975
SA Grunthal Verdun 10 January 1918.
TAS Grünwald Arkona
VIC Grünwald Arkona
SA Hahndorf Ambleside 10 January 1918. Reverted to Hahndorf in 1935[15]
NSW Hamburger Street (Punchbowl) Victoria Road December 1914.
QLD Hapsburg Kowbi October 1916. See Isis railway line
SA Hasse's Mound Larelar Mound 10 January 1918.
SA Heidelberg Kobandilla 10 January 1918.
WA Heidelberg Bickley
SA Hergott Springs Marree 10 January 1918.
QLD Hessenburg Ingoldsby September 1916.
SA Hildesheim Punthari 10 January 1918.
TAS Hochkirch Tarrington 1 March 1918.
VIC Hochkirch Tarrington 1 March 1918[31]
SA Hoffnungsthal Karawirra 10 January 1918. Reverted to Hoffnungsthal in 1975
SA Hundred of Basedow[19] Hundred of French 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Homburg[20] Hundred of Haig 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Krichauff Hundred of Beatty 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Paech[21] Hundred of Cannawigara 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Pflaum[22] Hundred of Geegeela 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Rhine (North) Hundred of Jellicoe 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Rhine (South) Hundred of Jutland 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Scherk[23] Hundred of Sturdee 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Schomburgk[24] Hundred of Maude 10 January 1918.
SA Hundred of Von Doussa[25] Hundred of Allenby 10 January 1918.
SA Jaenschtown Kerkanya 10 January 1918.
NSW Kaiser Street (Canterbury) Mons Street December 1914.
SA Kaiserstuhl Mount Kitchener 10 January 1918. Renamed Kaiser's Seat in 1975; subsequently changed to Kaiserstuhl
QLD Kirchheim Haigslea 10 January 1918.
SA Klaebes Kilto 10 January 1918.
SA Klemzig Gaza 10 January 1918. Reverted to Klemzig in 1935;[15] football club retained the name Gaza
SA Krause Rock Marti Rock 10 January 1918.
SA Krichauff[26] Beatty 10 January 1918. Changed to Mount Mary 1940
SA Kronsdorf Kabminye 10 January 1918. Changed to Krondorf in 1975
SA Langdorf Kaldukee 10 January 1918. Incorporated in the bounded locality of Tanunda
SA Langmeil Bilyara (near Tanunda) 10 January 1918. Reverted to Langmeil in 1975
SA Lobethal Tweedvale 10 January 1918. Reverted to Lobethal in 1935[15]
QLD Marburg Townshend Jun-17 reverted to Marburg in 1920[12]
QLD Minden Frenchton Oct-16 reverted to Minden in 1930[10]
TAS Mount Bismarck Mount Kitchener
VIC Mount Bismarck Mount Kitchener
SA Mount Ferdinand[18] Mount Warrabillinna 10 January 1918.
SA Mount Meyer Mount Kauto 10 January 1918.
WA Mueller Park Kitchener Park reverted to Mueller Park 1981
SA Muller's Hill Yandina Hill 10 January 1918.
SA Neudorf Mamburdi 10 January 1918. Reverted 1986, became part of Lobethal
SA Neukirch Dimchurch 10 January 1918. Reverted to Neukirch in 1975
SA New Hamburg Willyaroo 10 January 1918.
SA New Mecklenburg Gomersal 10 January 1918.
SA Oliventhal Olivedale 10 January 1918. Became part of Birdwood
SA Petersburg Peterborough 10 January 1918. The Petersburg Times protested against the change until 1919.
TAS Reinholtz's PO Reynold's PO 5 November 1920.
VIC Reinholtz's PO Reynold's PO 5 November 1920[31]
NSW Reuss Street (Merewether) Kilgour Avenue 14 January 1918. Newcastle section renamed 1918. Merewether Municipality section Reuss Street until 1938.[8]
SA Rhine Hill Mons Hill 10 January 1918.
SA Rhine Park Kongolia 10 January 1918.
SA Rhine River North The Somme 10 January 1918. Changed to Somme Creek 1971
SA Rhine River South The Marne 10 January 1918. Changed to Marne River 1971
SA Rhine Villa Cambrai 10 January 1918.
QLD Roessler Applethorpe
SA Rosenthal Rosedale 10 January 1918.
NSW Schlinkers Lane (Ultimo, Sydney) Bullecourt Lane 1917 No longer exists. Development on 428-466 Harris Street, Ultimo is named "Bullecourt Place".
SA Schoenthal Boongala 10 January 1918. Reverted 1986; incorporated in the bounded locality of Charleston
SA Schreiberhau Warre 10 January 1918. Reverted 1975
SA Seppelts[28] Dorrien 10 January 1918. Incorporated into the bounded locality of Nuriootpa
SA Siegersdorf Bultawilta 10 January 1918. Reverted in 1975; incorporated into the bounded locality of Tanunda
SA Steinfeld Stonefield 10 January 1918. Reverted 1986
SA Summerfeldt Summerfield 10 January 1918. Incorporated into the bounded locality of Palmer
QLD Teutoburg Witta 1916
SA Vogelsang's Corner Teerkoore 10 January 1918. Reverted to Vogelsang Corner 1986; incorporated into the bounded locality of Geranium Plains
TAS Waldkirch Freshwater Creek (Anglesea Road, south-west of Grovedale)[citation needed]
VIC Waldkirch Freshwater Creek (Anglesea Road, south-west of Grovedale)[citation needed]
NSW Webber's Road (Kogarah) English Street 7 September 1915.
TAS Weinberg Road, Hawthorn Wattle Road
VIC Weinberg Road, Hawthorn Wattle Road
TAS West Prussia Road, Wantirna Wantirna Road
VIC West Prussia Road, Wantirna Wantirna Road
SA Wusser's Nob Karun Nob 10 January 1918. Changed to Wusser Nob in 1983
LOADING! Please wait ...
Getting Around There are several ways to browse the family tree. The Tree View graphically shows the relationship of selected person to their kin. The Family View shows the person you have selected in the center, with his/her photo on the left and notes on the right. Above are the father and mother and below are the children. The Ancestor Chart shows the person you have selected in the left, with the photograph above and children below. On the right are the parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. The Descendant Chart shows the person you have selected in the left, with the photograph and parents below. On the right are the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Do you know who your second cousins are? Try the Kinship Relationships Tool. Your site can generate various Reports for each name in your family tree. You can select a name from the list on the top-right menu bar.
In addition to the charts and reports you have Photo Albums, the Events list and the Relationships tool. Family photographs are organized in the Photo Index. Each Album's photographs are accompanied by a caption. To enlarge a photograph just click on it. Keep up with the family birthdays and anniversaries in the Events list. Birthdays and Anniversaries of living persons are listed by month. Want to know how you are related to anybody ? Check out the Relationships tool.