August Kavel
Encyclopedia
August Ludwig Christian Kavel ( 3 September 1798 – 12 February 1860). Pastor Kavel was a founder of Lutheranism
in Australia
.
, Germany
1798. In 1826, he was ordained and installed as the Pastor
at the church in the village of Klemzig
, located near the city of Züllichau
in then southeastern Brandenburg
in the German state of Prussia
. Between 1798 and 1840, the Protestant churches in Prussia had been subjected to a number of changes, brought about by the decrees of King Frederick William III
. These decrees were intended to unify the Lutheran and Reformed Churches into one Evangelical Christian Church
. By 1826, there was some opposition to the intentions of Frederick William. This escalated in 1830, when Frederick William announced a number of changes that outlawed the traditional rites of the churches and prescribed a form of worship
which many Lutherans believed was against the Will of God
. It was in this environment that dissent against the decrees of Frederick William arose.
Pastor Kavel was not initially one of this group, who had come to be known as the Old Lutherans
. Frederick William's revised edition of the worship agenda, which was released in 1829, was voluntary for usage in congregations, as was the first edition. Pastor Kavel used this worship order until 1834 when, under the influence of the writings of Johann Gottfried Scheibel
, he ceased and joined the ranks of the dissenters. Kavel wrote to the King in January 1835, informing him that he would no longer use the worship agenda. On Easter
Monday 1835, Kavel was removed from the ministry and was prohibited from practising as a pastor. His congregation likewise were prohibited from using the church premises, and participating in any worship services presided by suspended Pastors.
to enquire into the possibility of migrating to Russia
or the United States
; however, both of these options were not possible.
While in Hamburg, Kavel was informed of the possibility of migrating to Australia
. He travelled to London
, England
, to meet with George Fife Angas
, the chairman of the South Australia Company
, which was searching for emigrants to settle the land acquisitions it had in South Australia
. Kavel was received favourably by Angas, who sent his chief clerk, Charles Flaxman
, to Prussia to meet with Kavel's group and to prepare them for emigration. Kavel remained in London, ministering to the German
community.
The congregation in Klemzig went through a number of setbacks in their application to emigrate. Requiring permission from the government, they were informed that their request for emigration had been denied in 1837. Representatives who were sent to appeal against the denial were arrested and imprisoned. It was only at the end of 1837 that the group was finally given permission to emigrate.
Financially, the migration was expensive. George Fife Angas had lobbied the South Australia Company to provide funding for the Lutheran dissenters, arguing that the character of the people was the ideal type for the new settlement in South Australia. However, due to financial problems within the Company, the request by Angas, which had initially been approved, was now denied. Many of the Prussian migrants had also encountered financial hardship due to the extended emigration application process. A migration to Australia now appeared to be impossible.
George Angas decided to personally provide funding to Kavel and the Klemzig group. Four ships were chartered on their behalf: the Prince George
, the Bengalee
, the Zebra
and the Catharina
. The Prince George and the Bengalee left Hamburg on 8 July 1838 with about 250 of the emigrants. They travelled to Plymouth
, where they picked up Pastor Kavel, and then continued on their journey until they arrived in Port Adelaide
on 20 November 1838. The Zebra left in August 1838 with 187 on board and arrived in Holdfast Bay
on 28 December. Eleven people, six adults and five children, died on the trip. The Catharina left in September 1838 and arrived in January 1839. In all, this group of ships transported 596 migrants from Prussia to Australia.
Settlement in South Australia
Pastor Kavel, as the leader of the group of immigrants, acted as a negotiator for securing land for the settlers. These new migrants rented 150 acre (0.607029 km²) from George Angas and established their first settlement in Australia at Klemzig
. On the arrival of the third ship, the Zebra, the town Hahndorf
was established. A third settlement of the Prussian migrants was established by many of the passengers of the Catharina at Glen Osmond
.
On 23 and 24 May 1839, Kavel convened a meeting of the elders
of the three villages. At this meeting, the constitution of the new Australian Lutheran synod was adopted. At the following synodical gathering in 1840, a letter was drafted and subsequently sent to the "Old Lutherans" in Prussia. Its purpose was to encourage others to emigrate and, most importantly, have a second pastor immigrate to Australia. On 28 October 1841, 224 further Prussian immigrants arrived in Adelaide on the Skjold
, among them Pastor Gotthard Fritzsche
. This group formed the main part of the settlements at Lobethal
and Bethanien
. In 1842, Langmeil
was settled. Kavel remained in South Australia
until his death.
.
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Training and Early Ministry
Kavel was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
1798. In 1826, he was ordained and installed as the Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
at the church in the village of Klemzig
Klepsk
Klępsk is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Sulechów, within Zielona Góra County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It lies approximately east of Sulechów and north-east of Zielona Góra....
, located near the city of Züllichau
Sulechów
Sulechów is a town in Poland, in Lubusz Voivodeship, in Zielona Góra County. It is the administrative seat of the Gmina Sulechów.-History:The area by 990 had been conquered by Duke Mieszko I of Poland and from 1138 was part of the Duchy of Silesia....
in then southeastern Brandenburg
Province of Brandenburg
The Province of Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946.-History:The first people who are known to have inhabited Brandenburg were the Suevi. They were succeeded by the Slavonians, whom Henry II conquered and converted to Christianity in...
in the German state of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. Between 1798 and 1840, the Protestant churches in Prussia had been subjected to a number of changes, brought about by the decrees of King Frederick William III
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
. These decrees were intended to unify the Lutheran and Reformed Churches into one Evangelical Christian Church
Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)
The Prussian Union was the merger of the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Church in Prussia, by a series of decrees – among them the Unionsurkunde – by King Frederick William III...
. By 1826, there was some opposition to the intentions of Frederick William. This escalated in 1830, when Frederick William announced a number of changes that outlawed the traditional rites of the churches and prescribed a form of worship
Worship
Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. The word is derived from the Old English worthscipe, meaning worthiness or worth-ship — to give, at its simplest, worth to something, for example, Christian worship.Evelyn Underhill defines worship thus: "The absolute...
which many Lutherans believed was against the Will of God
Will of God
The will of God or divine will refers to the concept of God as having a plan for humanity, and as such desires to see such a plan fulfilled...
. It was in this environment that dissent against the decrees of Frederick William arose.
Pastor Kavel was not initially one of this group, who had come to be known as the Old Lutherans
Old Lutherans
Old Lutherans refers to those German Lutherans who refused to join the Prussian Union in the 1830s and 1840s.Attempted suppression of the Old Lutherans led many to immigrate to Australia and the United States, resulting in the creation of significant Lutheran denominations in those countries.The...
. Frederick William's revised edition of the worship agenda, which was released in 1829, was voluntary for usage in congregations, as was the first edition. Pastor Kavel used this worship order until 1834 when, under the influence of the writings of Johann Gottfried Scheibel
Johann Gottfried Scheibel
Johann Gottfried Scheibel was a Lutheran leader.-Education and Ministry:Johann Scheibel was born in Breslau, Silesia, and studied at the University of Halle from 1801 to 1804. He went on from there to be the assistant minister at St Elisabeth's church in Breslau from 1804 to 1818...
, he ceased and joined the ranks of the dissenters. Kavel wrote to the King in January 1835, informing him that he would no longer use the worship agenda. On Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
Monday 1835, Kavel was removed from the ministry and was prohibited from practising as a pastor. His congregation likewise were prohibited from using the church premises, and participating in any worship services presided by suspended Pastors.
Emigration to Australia
Pastor Kavel began to look for avenues to lead his congregation in an exodus from Prussia to a place where they could worship in freedom. In early 1836, Kavel travelled to HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
to enquire into the possibility of migrating to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
or the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; however, both of these options were not possible.
While in Hamburg, Kavel was informed of the possibility of migrating to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He travelled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to meet with George Fife Angas
George Fife Angas
George Fife Angas was an English businessman and banker who, from England, played a significant part in the formation and establishment of the Colony of South Australia. He established the South Australian Company and was its founding chairman of the board of directors...
, the chairman of the South Australia Company
South Australia Company
The South Australian Company was formed in London on 9 October 1835 by George Fife Angas and other wealthy British merchants to develop a new settlement in South Australia; its purpose was to build a new colony...
, which was searching for emigrants to settle the land acquisitions it had in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. Kavel was received favourably by Angas, who sent his chief clerk, Charles Flaxman
Charles Flaxman
Charles Flaxman was employed by George Angas as his chief clerk. Flaxman received a loan from Angas to invest in land in South Australia. He travelled to Australia aboard the Prince George in 1838. He took up land in Tanunda, and Flaxman Valley in the area is named after him...
, to Prussia to meet with Kavel's group and to prepare them for emigration. Kavel remained in London, ministering to the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
community.
The congregation in Klemzig went through a number of setbacks in their application to emigrate. Requiring permission from the government, they were informed that their request for emigration had been denied in 1837. Representatives who were sent to appeal against the denial were arrested and imprisoned. It was only at the end of 1837 that the group was finally given permission to emigrate.
Financially, the migration was expensive. George Fife Angas had lobbied the South Australia Company to provide funding for the Lutheran dissenters, arguing that the character of the people was the ideal type for the new settlement in South Australia. However, due to financial problems within the Company, the request by Angas, which had initially been approved, was now denied. Many of the Prussian migrants had also encountered financial hardship due to the extended emigration application process. A migration to Australia now appeared to be impossible.
George Angas decided to personally provide funding to Kavel and the Klemzig group. Four ships were chartered on their behalf: the Prince George
Prince George (ship)
The Prince George was a three masted barque weighing 317 tons, owned by H Wright. It measured It was manufactured in 1828 at Newcastle upon Tyne...
, the Bengalee
Bengalee (ship)
The Bengalee was a three masted barque weighing 304 tons, owned by Hamlin and Company, Greenock. It was principally used as a supply ship, although it did carry human cargo also...
, the Zebra
Zebra (ship)
The Zebra was a three-masted ship, built in 1818 and weighing 350 tonnes. On 12 August 1838, the Zebra, captained by Dirk Hahn, departed from Altona, Hamburg for its voyage to Port Misery, South Australia. The ship arrived at its destination on 28 December 1838. On board was a crew of 16 and 188...
and the Catharina
Catharina (ship)
- Voyages :*Hamburg to Port Adelaide, South Australia - 21 September 1838 to 20 January 1839*Port Adelaide, South Australia to Batavia - departed 27 February 1839-References:* "", * "", * "", Private homepage of *"", , David Nutting* "", Private webpages of...
. The Prince George and the Bengalee left Hamburg on 8 July 1838 with about 250 of the emigrants. They travelled to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, where they picked up Pastor Kavel, and then continued on their journey until they arrived in Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
on 20 November 1838. The Zebra left in August 1838 with 187 on board and arrived in Holdfast Bay
Holdfast Bay
Holdfast Bay is a small bay in Gulf St Vincent, next to Adelaide, South Australia. Along its shores lie the City of Holdfast Bay and the popular beach-side suburb of Glenelg.-European settlement:...
on 28 December. Eleven people, six adults and five children, died on the trip. The Catharina left in September 1838 and arrived in January 1839. In all, this group of ships transported 596 migrants from Prussia to Australia.
Settlement in South AustraliaGerman settlement in AustraliaGerman settlement in Australia began in large numbers in 1838, with the arrival of immigrants from Prussia to Adelaide, South Australia. German immigrants became prominent in settling South Australia and Queensland...
Pastor Kavel, as the leader of the group of immigrants, acted as a negotiator for securing land for the settlers. These new migrants rented 150 acre (0.607029 km²) from George Angas and established their first settlement in Australia at KlemzigKlemzig, South Australia
Klemzig is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is the location of the first settlement of German emigrants to Australia in the 19th century and is named after a village near the city of Zuellichau in southeastern Brandenburg in the German state of Prussia, where they...
. On the arrival of the third ship, the Zebra, the town Hahndorf
Hahndorf, South Australia
Hahndorf is a small town about 30 minutes drive out of Adelaide, South Australia along the South Eastern Freeway . The town was settled by Lutheran migrants largely from in and around a small village then named "Kay" in Prussia, many of whom were aboard the Zebra...
was established. A third settlement of the Prussian migrants was established by many of the passengers of the Catharina at Glen Osmond
Glen Osmond, South Australia
Glen Osmond is a small suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Burnside located in the foothills of the Adelaide Hills.-References:...
.
On 23 and 24 May 1839, Kavel convened a meeting of the elders
Elder (administrative title)
The term Elder is used in several different countries and organizations to indicate a position of authority...
of the three villages. At this meeting, the constitution of the new Australian Lutheran synod was adopted. At the following synodical gathering in 1840, a letter was drafted and subsequently sent to the "Old Lutherans" in Prussia. Its purpose was to encourage others to emigrate and, most importantly, have a second pastor immigrate to Australia. On 28 October 1841, 224 further Prussian immigrants arrived in Adelaide on the Skjold
Skjold (ship)
The Skjold was a Danish three mast Barque, built in Sundeborg 1839, and weighing 460 tons. It was owned by C. Petersen, Sundeborg.-Voyages:...
, among them Pastor Gotthard Fritzsche
Gotthard Fritzsche
Gotthard Daniel Fritzsche[p] was one of the first founding pastors of Lutheranism to emigrate to Australia. He was born in Liebenwerda, Germany, and migrated to Australia in 1841. From 1842-1863, he was pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church...
. This group formed the main part of the settlements at Lobethal
Lobethal, South Australia
Lobethal is a town in the Adelaide Hills area of South Australia. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area, and is nestled on the banks of a creek between the hills and up the sides of the valley. It was once the centre of the Adelaide Hills wool processing industry, which...
and Bethanien
Bethany, South Australia
Bethany is a small village located about 2 km south east of Tanunda in the Barossa Valley. It was originally named Bethanien, but was changed during World War I in an attempt to remove all German place names from Australia....
. In 1842, Langmeil
Tanunda, South Australia
Tanunda is a town situated in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, 70 kilometres north east of the state capital, Adelaide. The town derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning water hole. Town population is approximately 3500.-Settlement:...
was settled. Kavel remained in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
until his death.
Division in the Church
Tension arose between Kavel and the settled migrants at Hahndorf and Klemzig when he strongly urged them to relocate to LangmeilTanunda, South Australia
Tanunda is a town situated in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, 70 kilometres north east of the state capital, Adelaide. The town derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning water hole. Town population is approximately 3500.-Settlement:...
.