Arbeit macht frei: - Fredrick Töben

There was then a jealousy between German farmers who made a go of
things and those of other nationalities who did not work as hard nor endure
the hardships in order to succeed at growing wheat in the area. Likewise in
hotels, such as Fechler’s, where German efficiency and ‘Gemütlichkeit’
prevailed – nach echt deutscher Art und Sitte, i.e., to sit at a table and not
stand at a bar.
Anrep-Elmpt made a comment that astounded me somewhat because what
he observed is relevant today. In spite of the apparent wealth generated by
the farmers’ production all of them complained about the lack of money.
During harvest time the wheat market was in decline through speculative
price reduction set in motion by colonial administrative incompetence.
Then, if measured against the cost of production, transport costs and
consumer goods rise, so that farming returns decrease significantly.
He noted the Australian-born German’s tendency to consider oneself an
‘aboriginal Australian’, who denies their German heritage, thereby adapting
to the Anglo-Saxon ways. He wondered if typical German characteristics
would be evident in following generations, and if Australia’s development
would be determined by which nationality gain an upper hand.
The Graf stayed at Südholz’s Natimuk Hotel and visited Mr Böhm at the
Lutheran Church there. He walks on before catching a Cobb & Co. coach
to Apsley and walks from there to the Victorian–South Australian border.
In the central colony he visits Naracoorte and then takes a coach via
Penola, Mount Gambier, Port MacDonnell, Beachport, Millicent, Kingston
SE, Robe, Meningie, Milang, Strathalbyn, Macclesfield and Echunga to
Glen Osmond from where an omnibus took him to Adelaide. At the
Temperance Hotel on North Terrace opposite ‘Port Adelaide Railway
Station’, Mr Grayson offered a quiet no-bar accommodation.
The planned Adelaide impressed the Graf in 1880. He admired the city
greatly; for its squares and parklands, and the grandeur of its buildings,
especially along North Terrace where he saw the railway station, Parliament
House, Governor’s residence, library and museum, university, and the
building that is the Adelaide Club, which has been in existence since 1864.
While waiting for his luggage to arrive from Melbourne he travelled inland
to Salisbury, Gawler, Freeling, Kapunda and Burra where he stayed at the
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