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{{Short description|German missionary to Australia}}
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[[File:Frieda Strehlow.png|thumb|Frieda Strehlow]]
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
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'''Friederike Johanna Henriette Strehlow née Keysser''' (31 August, 1875. - 30 April, 1957.) Better known as Frieda Strehlow was a German Missionary who lived and worked at [[Hermannsburg, Northern Territory|Hermannsburg]] in the [[Northern Territory]] of [[Australia]] in the early 1900s. She was best know for overcoming the high rate of infant mortality, resulting in normal population growth at a time when most Aboriginal children in Australia not living a traditional life and were dying. <ref name="johns book">{{cite book|last1=Strehlow|first1=John|title=The Tale of Frieda Keysser|date=2011|publisher=Wild Cat Press|location=London|isbn=9780956755803|accessdate=23 March 2017}}</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
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[[File:Carl & Frieda Strehlow.jpg|thumb|Frieda and Carl Strehlow]]
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'''Friederike Johanna Henriette Strehlow née Keysser''' (31 August 1875 – 30 April 1957) better known as Frieda Strehlow, was a German missionary who lived and worked at [[Hermannsburg, Northern Territory|Hermannsburg]] in the [[Northern Territory]] of [[Australia]] in the early 1900s. She was best known for overcoming the high rate of infant mortality for Aboriginal children.<ref name="johns book">{{cite book|last1=Strehlow|first1=John|title=The Tale of Frieda Keysser|date=2011|publisher=Wild Cat Press|location=London|isbn=9780956755803}}</ref>


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== Early life ==
Strehlow was born in [[Geroldsgruen]], the daughter of wood factory owner C.T. Keysser, living there until he died in 1879. She then lived partly with her mother and step-father and with her mother's sister Augusta and her grandparents in [[Theilenhofen]] and later [[Gunzenhausen]]. Her grandfather was the Lutheran pastor at Theilenhofen, [[Johann Erhard Fischer]], who was a co-founder with Wilhelm Löhe of the Society for Inner Mission in Neuendettelsau in 1850. Her grandmother, Sophia Elisa Marianna (Omeis) Fischer, was also the daughter of a Lutheran pastor.


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She studied at Löhe's Industry School in [[Neuendettelsau]] in 1890 and fell in love with [[Carl Strehlow]] in 1892 when he was on his way to [[Killalpaninna Mission]] (also known as Bethesda) in [[South Australia]]. It is said that they fell in love just 36 hours after meeting.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Thompson-Mills|first1=John|title=ohn Strehlow--The tale of Frieda Keysser|url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/sa/2012/01/john-strehlow-the-tale-of-frieda-keysser.html|accessdate=26 March 2017|agency=891 ABC Adelaide|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=31 January 2012}}</ref> Despite opposition from her family the relationship blossomed, conducted by letter. She came to Australia and on 25 September 1895 she and Carl were married at [[Point Pass]] in [[South Australia]]. They arrived in Hermannsburg on 5 November after a challenging journey on the mail buggy from [[Oodnadatta]], twice running out of water.<ref name="TGH Book">{{cite book|last1=Strehlow|first1=TGH|title=Journey to Horseshoe Bend|date=1969|publisher=Rigby|location=Melbourne|isbn=9780727006257}}</ref>


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== Life in the Northern Territory ==
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== Early life ==
[[File:Frieda Strehlow's sewing class in 1907.jpg|thumb|Frieda Strehlow and her sewing class at Hermannsburg Mission in 1907.]]
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Born in Geroldsgruen, daughter of wood factory owner C.T. Keysser, living there until he died in 1879; after this she lived partly with her mother and step-father, and partly with her mother’s sister Augusta and her Fischer grandparents in Theilenhofen and later Gunzenhausen. Studied at Loehe’s Industry School in Neuendettelsau in 1890, fell in love with [[Carl Strehlow]] in 1892 when he was on his way to Bethesda Mission in [[South Australia]]. Despite opposition from her family the relationship blossomed, conducted by letter. She came to Australia and on 25 September 1895 she and Carl were married at Point Pass in South Australia. They arrived in Hermannsburg on 5 November after a challenging journey on the mail buggy from Oodnadatta, twice running out of water.<ref name="TGH Book">{{cite book|last1=Strehlow|first1=TGH|title=Journey to Horseshoe Bend|date=1969|publisher=Rigby|location=Melbourne|isbn=9780727006257|accessdate=23 March 2017}}</ref>
Strehlow had six children at Hermannsburg between 1897 and 1908,<ref>{{cite web|title=Frieda Strehlow with Children at Hermannsburg [B 4243]|url=http://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+42430/continue|website=State Library of South Australia|accessdate=26 March 2017|date=1910}}</ref> during which time the mission buildings were renovated or replaced by new structures. Being a cattle station in a remote area, life was difficult, especially during the droughts, with many privations as regards food and supplies. There were no doctors, so each child's birth took place without trained medical help, twice with Carl acting as midwife. Frieda suffered greatly from toothache.<ref name="monthly">{{cite news|last1=Sutton|first1=Peter|title=On a Mission|url=https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2012/april/1339558171/peter-sutton/mission|accessdate=26 March 2017|agency=The Monthly|date=April 2012}}</ref>

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Strehlow devoted herself to the younger generation of girls, teaching them basic health practices, how to sew, how to cook and above all how to bring up healthy children in the changed circumstances they were living in. For several years she was the only white woman at Hermannsburg. She learned [[Aranda people|Aranda]] fluently and translated several hymns. Due to her psychological isolation, she maintained an enormous correspondence with female friends in Australia and [[Germany]], as well as with her brother Christian Keysser in [[New Guinea]]. This is now in the [[Strehlow Research Centre]] in Alice Springs.<ref name="johns book" /><ref name="diaries" />

Frieda also kept comprehensive diaries of her time in Central Australia, which offer a unique record of life on the frontier. These were used by her grandson, [[John Strehlow]], to write ''The Tale of Frieda Keysser: Frieda Keysser and Carl Strehlow, An Historical Biography, Volume I: 1875–1910''.<ref name="monthly" />


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== Life in the Northern Territory ==
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Had six children at Hermannsburg between 1897 and 1908, during which time the Mission buildings were renovated or replaced by new structures. Being a cattle station in a remote area, life on the Mission was difficult, especially during the droughts, with many privations as regards food and supplies. There were no doctors, so each child’s birth took place without trained medical help, twice with Carl acting as midwife. Frieda suffered greatly from toothache for most of her time here. She devoted herself to the younger generation of girls, teaching them basic health practices, how to sew, how to cook and above all how to bring up healthy children in the changed circumstances they were living in. For several years she was the only white woman at Hermannsburg. During this period Frieda kept extensive diaries of her life. She learned Aranda fluently and translated several hymns. Due to her psychological isolation, she maintained an enormous correspondence with female friends in Australia and Germany, as well as with her brother Christian Keysser in New Guinea. This is now in the [[Strehlow Research Centre]] here in Alice Springs.
Source: Frieda’s diaries (unpublished), her Lebenslauf or account of her own life, and her grandson John Strehlow’s biography: The Tale of Frieda Keysser (London, 1910).
==Later life ==
==Later life ==
Apart from a year’s holiday over 1903–4, and a year and a half’s break over 1910–11 in Germany, where she and Carl placed the five oldest children with relatives and friends so they could get a proper education, Frieda and Carl spent their entire time together in Australia at Hermannsburg. When Carl’s health made it necessary to go south in October 1922, they travelled with their youngest son Theo by horse and buggy to Horseshoe Bend where Carl died, leaving her without any means of support. She became matron at Immanuel College in Adelaide until 1931 to support Theo through his education, returning to Germany later that year. During the 1920s she stayed in touch with the Aranda at Hermannsburg, corresponding by letter. Fleeing with millions of others from Silesia before the Red Army advance at the end of the Second World War, she died in Neuendettelsau in 1957, where she was buried.
Apart from a year's holiday in 1903 and a visit to Germany in 1910 to place the Strehlow children in German schools, Frieda and Carl spent their entire time together in Australia at Hermannsburg. When Carl's health made it necessary to go south in October 1922, they travelled with their youngest son Theo by horse and buggy to Horseshoe Bend where Carl died, leaving her without any means of support.<ref name="diaries" />
She became matron at [[Immanuel College, Adelaide|Immanuel College]] in [[Adelaide]] until 1931 to support Theo through his education, returning to Germany later that year. During the 1920s she stayed in touch with the Aranda at Hermannsburg, corresponding by letter. Fleeing with millions of others from Silesia before the Red Army advance at the end of [[World War II]], she died in Neuendettelsau in 1957, where she was buried.<ref name="diaries">{{cite book|last1=Strehlow|first1=Frieda|title=Diaries (unpublished)|date=1895–1922}}</ref>

Source: Frieda’s diaries (unpublished), her Lebenslauf (also unpublished).
== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


== External links==
* [http://www.magnt.net.au/strehlow-research-centre Strehlow Research Centre official website]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strehlow, Frieda}}
[[Category:1875 births]]
[[Category:1875 births]]
[[Category:1957 deaths]]
[[Category:1957 deaths]]
[[Category:People from the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:People from the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:German Christian missionaries]]
[[Category:German expatriates in Australia]]

Latest revision as of 15:23, 3 December 2024

Frieda and Carl Strehlow

Friederike Johanna Henriette Strehlow née Keysser (31 August 1875 – 30 April 1957) better known as Frieda Strehlow, was a German missionary who lived and worked at Hermannsburg in the Northern Territory of Australia in the early 1900s. She was best known for overcoming the high rate of infant mortality for Aboriginal children.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Strehlow was born in Geroldsgruen, the daughter of wood factory owner C.T. Keysser, living there until he died in 1879. She then lived partly with her mother and step-father and with her mother's sister Augusta and her grandparents in Theilenhofen and later Gunzenhausen. Her grandfather was the Lutheran pastor at Theilenhofen, Johann Erhard Fischer, who was a co-founder with Wilhelm Löhe of the Society for Inner Mission in Neuendettelsau in 1850. Her grandmother, Sophia Elisa Marianna (Omeis) Fischer, was also the daughter of a Lutheran pastor.

She studied at Löhe's Industry School in Neuendettelsau in 1890 and fell in love with Carl Strehlow in 1892 when he was on his way to Killalpaninna Mission (also known as Bethesda) in South Australia. It is said that they fell in love just 36 hours after meeting.[2] Despite opposition from her family the relationship blossomed, conducted by letter. She came to Australia and on 25 September 1895 she and Carl were married at Point Pass in South Australia. They arrived in Hermannsburg on 5 November after a challenging journey on the mail buggy from Oodnadatta, twice running out of water.[3]

Life in the Northern Territory

[edit]
Frieda Strehlow and her sewing class at Hermannsburg Mission in 1907.

Strehlow had six children at Hermannsburg between 1897 and 1908,[4] during which time the mission buildings were renovated or replaced by new structures. Being a cattle station in a remote area, life was difficult, especially during the droughts, with many privations as regards food and supplies. There were no doctors, so each child's birth took place without trained medical help, twice with Carl acting as midwife. Frieda suffered greatly from toothache.[5]

Strehlow devoted herself to the younger generation of girls, teaching them basic health practices, how to sew, how to cook and above all how to bring up healthy children in the changed circumstances they were living in. For several years she was the only white woman at Hermannsburg. She learned Aranda fluently and translated several hymns. Due to her psychological isolation, she maintained an enormous correspondence with female friends in Australia and Germany, as well as with her brother Christian Keysser in New Guinea. This is now in the Strehlow Research Centre in Alice Springs.[1][6]

Frieda also kept comprehensive diaries of her time in Central Australia, which offer a unique record of life on the frontier. These were used by her grandson, John Strehlow, to write The Tale of Frieda Keysser: Frieda Keysser and Carl Strehlow, An Historical Biography, Volume I: 1875–1910.[5]

Later life

[edit]

Apart from a year's holiday in 1903 and a visit to Germany in 1910 to place the Strehlow children in German schools, Frieda and Carl spent their entire time together in Australia at Hermannsburg. When Carl's health made it necessary to go south in October 1922, they travelled with their youngest son Theo by horse and buggy to Horseshoe Bend where Carl died, leaving her without any means of support.[6]

She became matron at Immanuel College in Adelaide until 1931 to support Theo through his education, returning to Germany later that year. During the 1920s she stayed in touch with the Aranda at Hermannsburg, corresponding by letter. Fleeing with millions of others from Silesia before the Red Army advance at the end of World War II, she died in Neuendettelsau in 1957, where she was buried.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Strehlow, John (2011). The Tale of Frieda Keysser. London: Wild Cat Press. ISBN 9780956755803.
  2. ^ Thompson-Mills, John (31 January 2012). "ohn Strehlow--The tale of Frieda Keysser". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 891 ABC Adelaide. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  3. ^ Strehlow, TGH (1969). Journey to Horseshoe Bend. Melbourne: Rigby. ISBN 9780727006257.
  4. ^ "Frieda Strehlow with Children at Hermannsburg [B 4243]". State Library of South Australia. 1910. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  5. ^ a b Sutton, Peter (April 2012). "On a Mission". The Monthly. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b c Strehlow, Frieda (1895–1922). Diaries (unpublished).
[edit]
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