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HISTORY

settlement in Australia

Since 1949

It was only in 1949 that some of the women and children were able to  rejoin their husbands and stay on in Australia.

 

 

 

 

"We leave  so  many  dear  people  now, but  in recent times we felt that everyone is happy with us, that we will finally be going back to Father [H. E. Wulff]… If all goes well on the journey and we leave this ship, we will be with Father, is a thought that goes through my head, and it makes me feel quite peculiar…And now we are together again. The children come closer, and I feel a heavy load slipping from my soul that I managed to hand them over safely to their Father. I've lived for this moment for the last eight years. I was often discouraged and thought it would never come. God be praised and thank you - it has arrived. Outwardly Father has changed a lot. I knew it already from the photos we had in the last years. But I am thrilled that his voice is the same as before."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"More than a year [1950] has passed between the trip and this transcript. The children accepted Father very quickly... At Easter 1950 we bought a nice piece of land - we have until next year June to pay it off... But we were allowed to work on it right away, clear trees, build a drain for the drive, and start a garden...The biggest problem is procurement of materials. There are not enough working hands in Australia, so all building materials are in short supply... So far we have always got what we need at the right time, so we are hopeful that someday we will have our home here."

Big Journey to Australia, Aug. to Sept. 1949. Wulff Collection. © P. Khosronejad.

Wulff home construction project 1950s. Wulff Collection. © P. Khosronejad.

September 14th 1949.

1950.

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August 8th, 12th, from the personal travel diary of Magdalene Wulff (1904-1972) "Big Journey to Australia". She was the wife of internee Hans E. Wulff (R36838).

© 2020-2023 Designed by P. KHOSRONEJAD

                     Dr. Pedram Khosronejad | Adjunct Professor

     Religion and Society Research Cluster | Western Sydney University

Fellow | Department of Anthropology | Harvard University

                      P.Khosronejad(at)westernsydney(.)edu(.)au

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