Lutheran Settlement in the Barossa Valley.
After temporary settlement near Adelaide, many moved to the Barossa Valley, forming small village groups - the first being a party of 28 families from Silesia who founded the village of Bethany in 1842. (This is my heritage).
Bethany - the cradle of German settlement in the Barossa Valley, was originally named Neuschlesien or New Sielesia by the families who moved there in 1842 to start a life free from oppression.
The tiny cottage Landhaus which was built in 1840's to house the community herdsman, Friedich Kockrich. Dressed in sheepskin cape and flourishing a horn, Kockrich used to collect the sheep and cattle, belonging to individual villagers, and take them to graze in the hills nearby, returning
them to their owners at dusk. Each animal knew its home paddock and entered it without coercion.
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Extras From A Barossa Heritage
One of the great attractions of South Australia is the Barossa Valley, that fertile stretch of land that produces almost a third of Australia's wine.
It was named in 1837 by Colonel William Light, the first Surveyor-General of the Province, who had served under the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Barossa in Feb. 1811, during the Peninsular War. The general topography of the area reminded him of the Spanish Barossa.
The valley was soon populated by a good mixture of Englishmen in search of grazing land and Germans who had fled from the religious persecution ruthlessly imposed on them because the chose to differ.
In the early 1830's, Frederic Wilhelm 111 of Prussia decreed that the liturgy of the State Church would be compulsory. This offended the Lutherans who wished to retain their old form of service. They valiantly refused and adhered to their beliefs and in consequense, these devout people were fined, had their property confiscated and in many cases, were imprisioned.
Hundreds of Lutherans decided to emigrate rather than alter their beliefs or suffer unjust oppression. Under the leadership of their Pastors and with the charitable help of George Fife Angas, serveral groups chose South Australia as their new home.
It was named in 1837 by Colonel William Light, the first Surveyor-General of the Province, who had served under the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Barossa in Feb. 1811, during the Peninsular War. The general topography of the area reminded him of the Spanish Barossa.
The valley was soon populated by a good mixture of Englishmen in search of grazing land and Germans who had fled from the religious persecution ruthlessly imposed on them because the chose to differ.
In the early 1830's, Frederic Wilhelm 111 of Prussia decreed that the liturgy of the State Church would be compulsory. This offended the Lutherans who wished to retain their old form of service. They valiantly refused and adhered to their beliefs and in consequense, these devout people were fined, had their property confiscated and in many cases, were imprisioned.
Hundreds of Lutherans decided to emigrate rather than alter their beliefs or suffer unjust oppression. Under the leadership of their Pastors and with the charitable help of George Fife Angas, serveral groups chose South Australia as their new home.
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