Collection 14: German Evangelical Lutheran Church Sydney records, 1866-1995

MLMSS 8950/Boxes 1-19
MLMSS 8950/Boxes 20X-21X

sub-fonds

1866-1995

Textual Records, Architectural and Technical Drawings, Notated Music, Clippings

412405

Partially Microfilmed : CY 4851, frames 1-567 (Marriage Declarations and Marriage Registers)

3.17 metres of textual material (21 boxes)

The German Evangelical Lutheran Church was established in Sydney in 1866, with financial support from the Evangelical Church in Germany. The church building in Goulburn Street in the city was completed in 1886. Church activities were suspended during World War II when the pastor, being a German national, was interned, and resumed in 1946. The church and its pastors were heavily involved in welfare work, particularly through the Kaiser Wilhelm Spende (German Relief Fund for Old and Destitute Persons) prior to World War II and by assisting prospective and newly arrived German migrants after the war. Church pastors included George Schenk, Gustav Lahusen, Gerhard Wittmann and Waldemar Kostizen.

Reference:
Compiled from the collection

The collection comprises records of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church located in Goulburn Street, Sydney, relating to the church building and other church properties, church activities, welfare work and interactions with other church communities. It includes minutes, correspondence, marriage records, financial records, annual reports and other church publications. Most of the records are in the German language.

BOX 1
Minute books: 15 Feb 1866-6 Dec 1909; 11 Jan 1910-3 Jan 1922; 7 Feb 1922-29 Apr 1931

BOX 2
Minute books: 11 Mar 1931-19 Jun 1939; 10 Jul 1939-21 Jan 1959; 1 Dec 1946-29 Mar 1951; 3 Feb 1959-9 Dec 1968; 20 Jan 1969-19 Mar 1973

BOX 3
Minute books: 16 Apr 1973-1 Aug 1977; 29 Aug 1977-13 Oct 1986
Notebooks containing church announcements: 1953-1956; 1956-1959
Collection books: 1960-1968; 1969-1977; 1978-1990; 1990-1993; Chester Hill 1990-1993
Notebooks containing Kaiser Wilhelm Spende financial records: 1922-1929; 1930-1932; 1932-1938; 1938-1939
Family registers: Weil / Kozba; Moeller / Stupp; Niemeyer / Schroeder; Jung / Sedlatschek; Wuensche / Mathey

BOX 4
Kaiser Wilhelm Spende correspondence and financial records, 1932-1939
Church income and expenditure books, 1918-1959 (5 volumes)
Architectural plans of minister’s residence at Lindfield, 1971

BOX 5
Marriage Declarations, Aug 1884-Feb 1894 (2 volumes) (CY 4851)
Marriage registers, May 1885, Jul 1907-Aug 1963 (15 volumes) (CY 4851)

BOX 6
Annual reports, 1932/33-1938/39, 1952/53-1970 (multiple copies)
Australian-German Welfare Society annual report, 1959/60
Church newsletters and flyers, 1953-1970
Festschrift presentation books for 75th anniversary, books and postcards for 100th anniversary

BOX 7
Subject files:
Church elections in 1979 and 1984
Allambie Lutheran Homes including correspondence, contracts, architectural plans, 1975-1987
Church properties at Chester Hill, 1990-1991; 34 Nithsdale St Sydney, 1958-1986; 36 Paine St Moorebank, 1981-1988; 14 Birdwood Ave Lane Cove (estate of Leonore Sprenger), 1983-1985
Willi Reith, 1984-1985
Martin Luther sponsored run, 1984

BOX 8
General correspondence including letters regarding Concordia Lutheran Congregation at Yagoona, Gnadenfrei Lutheran Congregation at Chester Hill, proposals to acquire land for aged accommodation, financial reports, 1946-1977
Correspondence and other papers relating to church bazaars, 1966-1978

BOX 9
Correspondence relating to donation of church organ, 1975-1980
Membership fee receipts, 1992
Mailing lists, undated
Office calendars, 1949-1960
Receipt books, 1990-1991

BOX 10
Marriage applications and related papers including correspondence, 1960-1964
Records of marriages registered, 1974-1995
Folder containing correspondence between Pastor G. Wittman and Pastor C. Stolz, reports from Lutheran chaplains on board migrant ships, lists of Lutheran pastors and communities in Australia, information for migrants, 1953-1960
Folder containing correspondence, conference papers, issues of ‘Lutheran Letter’ and other church newsletters, 1961-1966

BOX 11
General correspondence, 1935-1939, 1939-1940, 1955-1957
Correspondence generally relating to the property at 40 Tryon Rd Lindfield, Pastor Niemoller’s visit to Australia, resumption of church activities in 1946, 1946-1949
Weekly activities, 1939-1940
Correspondence relating to internment and welfare assistance for families of internees, 1939-1940
Correspondence relating to Dibelius Haus Community Centre, 1959
Bank passbooks, cheque butts, receipt butts, 1932-1990

BOX 12
Subject files:
Church constitution and related papers, 1931-1960
Community Centre renovations, 1958-1959
Annual statistics, 1952-1960
Church Board papers including yearly returns to Chief Secretary, 1939-1954
Melbourne German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church, 1947-1953

BOX 13
Administrative files numbered A1-A5f relating to church services and concerts, circulars, utilities, use and maintenance of the church organ, candles, the Lutheran Cemetery at Rookwood, correspondence with the German Consulate and German organisations in Sydney and Germany, 1908-1957

BOX 14
Administrative files numbered A6-D3 relating to New Guinea missions, the Lutheran Church in Melbourne and other church communities within Australia, the NSW Council of Churches, Articles of Association, Church Trustees, building maintenance, correspondence with pastors and the Evangelical Church in Germany and with other overseas Lutheran communities, youth groups, use of the church building by other congregations, 1933-1960

BOX 15
Administrative files numbered D4-D13b4 relating to the Lutheran World Federation and travel loans for German migrants, the World Council of Churches, Rookwood Cemetery, German Saturday School, church welfare work, women’s groups, 1929-1957

BOX 16
Administrative files numbered D14-E4 relating to church music, community events, circulars and newsletters, general information, newscuttings, the Concordia Club, the Goethe Society, books, the Lutheran Church in Melbourne, donations, accounting records, 1926-1953

BOX 17
Administrative files numbered F1-F5 relating to information requests, character references, information for migrants, prisons, asylums, child welfare, aged care, 1946-1957
Correspondence with Lutheran Church in Germany, 1932-1938
Financial records, 1885-1912
Tennis match records, 1935-1938

BOX 18
General correspondence, 1948-1961
Marriage applications and related papers, 1958-1961
Various German language journals, 1882-1938
Annual reports, 1903-1914
Financial records, 1938-1961
75th Anniversary planning and newscuttings, 1958
Church architectural plans, 1978-1979
Nithsdale St community centre architectural plans and papers, 1957-1958
Saturday German School papers, 1954-1960

BOX 19
Correspondence, 1960
Newsletters, circulars and artwork with mailing list, 1989-1992
Resume for Andreas Kern
Music and lyrics for hymns and other songs
Shekinah Foundation information pack
Photocopied monograph ‘The transportation of members of the Temple Society to Australia for internment’, 1991
Folder labelled ‘Church Affairs 1960-1968’ containing correspondence and other papers

BOX 20X
Marriage register, Aug 1884-Jul 1907 (CY 4851)
Chester Hill Church register of baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burials, 1959-1973

BOX 21X
Church account books, 1959-1976
Women’s organisation records, 1938-1939

German, English

This material is held offsite and is usually available after 4pm on the next business day. Please submit your request through Ask a Librarian - Applis to MLMSS 8950/Boxes 1-19

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2012-2013