Dr Wilhelm Rechnitz papers

This series contains works of art collected by, or of Wilhelm Recnitz, many relating to his time in the Tatura Internment Camp.

Those works that have been signed include the following artists who were fellow internees: 

• Georg Blank, 1906-1977
• Theodore Engel, 1886-1978
• Klaus Friedeberger, 1922-2019
• Karl Friedhofer, 1920-
• Ludwig Hirsfield-Mack, 1893-1965
• Alfred Landauer, 1910-1971
• Robert Hofmann, 1889–1987

Refer also to: 'Dunera lives : a visual history' by Ken Inglis, Seumas Spark and Jay Winter, 2018

[Items 6341/3 to 6341/8]

This series includes a plaque awarded to Wilhelm Rechnitz by the International Register of Profiles (For Distinguished Achievement) as well as miscellaneous certificates relating to the life and career of Wilhelm Rechnitz, in Australia and with biographical and community associations. Together miscellanous biographical papers and newspaper clippings.

[Items 6341/19 to 6341/27]

This series consists of greeting cards from family members, friends and other parties, sent to William Rechnitz dating from 1940 through to 1977. Regular correspondents include: Molly Leeper, Reverend William Rainey, Winsome Latter, Karl Bouda, Wilhelm von Scholtz, John Volker, Maie Lodge, Percy Wilton Vale, Fred Robinson [aka Alfred Rosenthal], T. Rees Thomas, Frederick Langston and Bishop Ernest Eric Hawkey.

A number of the correspondents include fellow refugees who were transported to Australia on board HMTS Dunera, and who were detained at Hay, NSW and Tatura, Victoria Internment Camps, during the Second World War.

[Items 6341/28 - 30, 32 - 33]

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This series contains invitations sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, including one from his nephew Garry (Gunther) Rechnitz on the occasion of his marriage to Harriet Jones, and to annual dinners of the University of Melbourne's Ridley College.

[Item 6341/33]

This series includes correspondence received prior to Wilhelm Rechnitz's arrest in Mirfield, Yorkshire in May 1940, where he was employed as a tutor for the House of Resurrection (now known as the Community of the Resurrection), through to 1942 where he was living in an internment camp in Victoria.

Rechnitz emigrated to England in 1934 as Nazi Germany pursued an aggressive policy of forced emigration for people of Jewish heritage. In 1938 he was confirmed as a member of the Anglican church and from November 1939 to May 1940 he was employed as a teacher of Greek and Latin at The House of the Resurrection, until he was arrested and taken to Hayton camp.

Rechnitz was then transported to Australia on HMTS Dunera with 2,700+ others and detained at Hay, NSW and Tatura, Victoria internment camps. His parents Otto and Martha Rechnitz, who were divorced, remained behind in Berlin, his half sister Gisela Rechnitz and sister Anita Bernstein remained in England.

In February 1940 his mother Martha wrote a brief letter advising of her address in Berlin, where she was staying with his uncle Georg and brother Waldemar.

In November 1941 Rechnitz received his own letter returned "address unknown" written to his mother in Berlin advising of his internment, and describing life in the camp. Martha Rechnitz's property in Berlin was seized in November 1941 and she was deported to the German-occupied Minsk Ghetto where she perished in December 1941.

[Items 6341/34 to 6341/129]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz while he was detained as a 'refugee' at the Internment Camp, Tatura, and later at The Brotherhood of St Lawrence, in Melbourne, from friends, family and associates. Much of the correspondence includes offers of books and religious texts and donations of money to assist the internees, from individuals and Christian communities in Australia.

During this time Rechnitz wrote many letters enquiring about opportunities of employment but received many rejections. In October 1943 Rechnitz obtained his release and was offered temporary employment with the Brotherhood of St Lawrence in Melbourne as a tutor.

A copy of a lecture titled 'Art in Religious Education', given by Rechnitz while employed by the Brotherhood of St Lawrence, in 1943 and 1944, is held in Series: Manuscripts

Rechnitz received a letter from his father Otto Rechnitz, who gave news of his siblings Waldemar, Gisela and Anita; but that his mothers' address was unknown.

His friend Alfred Rosenthal [aka Frederick Robinson] who had obtained his release from the camp by enlisting with the Australian Armed Forces, 8th Employment Company, wrote frequently, as did his sister Anita Bernstein and her son Edgar.

In 1944 Rechnitz obtained employment at St John's Theological College, Morpeth, Sydney as a tutor in Latin and Greek.

[Items 6341/130 to 6341/226]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz at St John's Theological College, Morpeth from former internees, most particularly his friend Alfred Rosenthal (aka Fred Robinson) as well letters from his sister Anita Burnstein and half-sister Gisela Rechnitz, friends and associates.

In 1945 Rechnitz continued his association with St John's Theological College, Morpeth, Sydney as a tutor in Latin and Greek until the expiration of his contract, and was recommended for and obtained a position with St Paul's College, Sydney University as a tutor, and librarian.

Wilhelm Rechnitz's father Otto Rechnitz had his business and properies seized by the Nazis and was interned in a concentration on Iranische Strasse, Wedding, north of Berlin in 1943. He died just months after being liberated in November 1945.

[Items 6341/227 to 6341/315]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz at St Paul's College, Sydney University, from friends, family and associates, including a number from former detainees, most particularly Alfred Rosenthal (aka Fred Robinson); as well as Frederick Colmer 'Vaughan' Jenkins a former resident of the House of Resurrection; his sister Anita Bernstein in London, brother Waldemar Rechnitz in Berlin, and nephew John Egles, aboard HMS Redpole.

[Items 6341/316 to 6341/390]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz at St Paul's College, Sydney University, from friends, family and associates. He had a number of works considered for publication, and frequent letters from Alfred Rosenthal (aka Fred Robinson) and his nephew John Egles who was serving with the British Navy. With many men returning from war service, Rechnitz's contract was not renewed for 1948 and he again sought an alternate placement.

[Items 6341/391 to 6341/438]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, Thursday Island, from friends, family and associates. After Rechnitz's contract was not renewed for 1948, he obtained a position as a teacher for St Michael's Mission, Thursday Island, [Waiben or Waibene] an island of the Torres Strait. His position at Moa Island High School inspired him to introduce classical music to his students and translate religious texts into the languages of the Torres Strait Islands.

Rechnitz received frequent letters from Alfred Rosenthal (aka Fred Robinson); his brother Waldemar in Germany and his sister Anita Bernstein who had emigrated to America with her family, now known as Anita Burns; and long-time friend and linguist Karl Bouda, Professor at Erlangen, Germany.

[Items 6431/439 to 6431/525]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while engaged as a teacher at St Pauls Mission School, Moa Island, in the Torres Strait.

Rechnitz continued to receive much correspondence from friends and family, as well as publishing houses to which he offered his manuscripts for consideration; his sister Anita now in America and acquaintances that he had lost contact with during the war years. A number of the letters are in German and have not been translated.

[Items 6341/526 to 6341/620]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, who was informed in October 1950 that his position at St Pauls Mission School, Moa Island would end and he would need to find alternative employment.

Rechnitz continued to receive much correspondence from friends and family both in Australia and overseas. Several associates and former pupils wrote from Moa Island including Kabail Pilot, Dorothea and Conrad Saveka, and others.

[Items 6341/621 to 6341/689]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, who obtained a teaching assignment in Brisbane after leaving the Torres Strait, at St Christopher's School, Kenmore, an Anglican Franciscan Friary, where he was a tutor in Latin.

Rechnitz continued to receive much correspondence from friends and family both in Australia and overseas. Several associates and former pupils wrote from Moa Island including Kabail Pilot, Dorothea and Conrad Saveka, and others.

[Items 6341/690 to 6341/740]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, at St Francis' Theological College, Milton, where he was a tutor in Latin. His position was terminated mid 1953 and he returned to Ridley College, in Melbourne where he taught Latin and Greek to un-matriculated postulants.

Rechnitz received regular letters from friends and associates both in Australia and overseas, former pupils and aquaintances from Moa Island, and publishing houses to which he had submitted manuscripts. 

[Items 6341/741 to 6341/845]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while in between employment in Brisbane, and later at Pormpuraaw (Edward River Mission). In March 1954 Rechnitz was ordained as an Anglican priest and offered a position by the Australian Board of Missions, in the Diocese of Carpentaria. He then began work at Pormpuraaw (Porrm-puur-ow) previously known as Edward River Mission, on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula.

Rechnitz received regular letters from friends and associates, and publishing houses to which he had submitted manuscripts and transcriptions of texts into Torres Strait Island languages. Notably absent are any from Alfred Rosenthal, but quite a number were received from his friend and linguist Professor Karl Bouda, of Erlangen University.

[Items 6342/846 to 6341/909]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, who was offered a position by the Australian Board of Missions, in the Diocese of Carpentaria. He then began work at Pormpuraaw (Porrm-puur-ow) previously known as Edward River Mission, on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula.

Rechnitz received regular letters from friends and associates, and publishing houses to which he had submitted manuscripts and transcriptions of texts into Torres Strait Island languages. Notably absent are any from Alfred Rosenthal, but quite a number were received from his friend and linguist Professor Karl Bouda, of Erlangen University.

[Items 6341/31, 6341/910 to 6341-979]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while employed by the Australian Board of Missions, in the Torres Strait. In 1957 he was posted to Mer (Murray Island) where he took over from Reverend Bogo Pilot.

Rechnitz received many letters from friends and associates, as well as publishing houses to which he had submitted manuuscripts. Absent are letters from Alfred Rosenthal, or close family members, although their letters may not have survived the conditions of north Queensland and the Torres Strait.

[Items 6341/1863, 6341/980 to 6341/1075]

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This series contains correspondence to Wilhelm Rechnitz, employed as a teacher and priest on Mer (Murray Island) an island in the Torres Strait.

Rechnitz received regular letters from friends, associates, and publishing houses, including several from his good friend Alfred Rosenthal [aka Fred Robinson] who had left Australia after joining the British Merchant Navy as a steward, but was again working in Sydney. Rechnitz also received a letter in German, from former internee Emil Auer, who was living in New York.

[Items 6341/1076 to 6341/1146]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while employed as a teacher and priest on Masig (Yorke Island) after being transferred from Mer (Murray Island).

Rechnitz received regular letters and news from friends, associates and publishing houses, as well as former internee Alfred Rosenthal, who had left Australia and was working in London.

[Items 6341/1147 to 6341/1222]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while employed as a teacher and priest on Masig (Yorke Island) in the Torres Strait.

Rechnitz received regular letters from friends, associates and publishing houses. Included is news from Alfred Rosenthal [aka Fred Robinson] who was again at sea, working on SS Arcardia giving news of people he and Rechnitz knew as internees including: Bim Meyer, Peter Schmitz, Walter Erlich, Henry Feder, Michael Ritterman, and Sigismund Lohde. His nephew Gunther 'Garry' Rechniz, wrote of family news from Pennsylvania, USA.

[Items 6341/1223 to 6341/1304]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while employed as a teacher and priest on Badu (Mulgrave Island) after being transferred from Masig (Yorke Island).

Rechnitz received regular letters from friends and associates, both in Australia and overseas. Included amongst them are Professor and linguist Karl Bouda, and former internees, Theodore Engel and Felix Werda. Alfred Rosental [aka Fred Robinson] wrote from London describing his activities, having left his job in 1961 he returned to work on the sea until 1963 when he resigned and with former internee Peter Neuman took a tour of Germany and Austria where he visited one of his few living relatives. He recalls meeting several former internees: Sigurd Lohde, Hugh Schuster, Michael Rittermann, Haenschen Feder, Peter Schmitz and Michael Mellinger.

[Items 6342/1305 to 6342/1409]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while employed as a teacher and priest on Badu (Mulgrave Island) by the Australian Board of Missions.

Rechnitz received letters from many friends and associates, as well as publishing houses where he had submitted manuscripts and translations of texts. He also received news from his nephew Gunther (Garry) Rechnitz, in Buffalo, USA and friend and linguist Professor Karl Bouda, Erlangen University.

[Items 6341/1410 to 6341/1474]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while employed as a teacher and priest on Badu (Mulgrave Island) by the Australian Board of Missions.

Rechnitz received letters from many friends and associates, as well as publishing houses where he had submitted manuscripts and translations of texts. He also received news from his nephew Gunther (Garry) Rechnitz, in Buffalo, USA and friend and linguist Professor Karl Bouda, Erlangen University.

[Items 6341/1475 to 6341/1544]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, while he was employed by the Australian Board of Missions, as a teacher on Iama (Yam Island) until his retirement in 1972 to St John's Home, in Toowong, Brisbane.

Rechnitz received letters from many friends and associates, some in response to his manuscript 'The Children of Mer' and his transcription of religious texts into the Mabuiag language. He also receives news from former internee Alfred Rosental (aka Fred Robinson) who has left London to live in Berlin; and his brother Waldemar Rechnitz who has made his home in Florida, USA.

[Items 6341/1545 to 6341/1610]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, who retired from his work on Iama (Yorke Island) for the Australian Board of Missions in 1972 and resided at St John's House, Toowong.

Rechnitz continued to receive letters from many friends and associates, former internees and people of the Torres Strait Islands were he lived and worked for many years. 

[Items 6341/1611 to 6341/1682]

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This series contains correspondence sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz, in retirement, at St John's Home, Toowong, from friends and family including his brother Waldemar Rechnitz, who made his home in Florida, USA.

[Items 6341/1683 to 6341/1698]

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This series contains miscellaneous letters and notes some without identifiable dates or authors, sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz from friends, family and associates.

[Items 6341/1708 to 6341/1725, 6341/1727 to 6341/1731, 6341/1748]

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This collection of manuscripts includes original works by Wilhelm Rechnitz, and Christian texts in German; some translated into Torres Strait Island languages, as well as poems, music scores, plays, psalms and lectures. A number of the works were translated by Ned Mosby and Laurence Mosby, Tippoti Waipila and Moses Joe.

[Items 6341/1749 to 6341/1802]

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This series contains a collection of 28 notebooks kept by Wilhelm Rechnitz. The notebooks record poems, songs, hymns and other Christian texts; and works in Torres Strait Island languages. Some of these are recorded in German language and shorthand.

Their titles include:

• Hymn: words by Wilhelm Rechnitz; music by Wilhelm Rechnitz; class of Professor M. P. Meyer, Tatura Camp 1942
• Western Hymnal. In one of the languages of the Torres Strait.
• Tayor-English, English-Tayor
• The Acts of the Apostles (in Mabuiag)
• Manuscript for the book 'Children of Mer'
• Mattins, Evensong, Quicunque vult in Mabuiag with Tunes
• The Holy Eucharist: translated into Mabuiag with the help of Uni Passi by Wilhelm Rechnitz; Music: Mabuiag Mass No.1 in C major by Ned Mosby, Masig (Yorke Island), 1960.
• The Litany in Mabuiag with Tunes containing music score and words in Mabuiag language as recorded by Wilhelm Rechnitz.
• Collects, Epistles and Gospels (Book of Common Prayer) translated by Ned Mosby and Laurence Mosby in Mabuiag language, as recorded by Wilhelm Rechnitz
• Central Europe and the Anglican Churches by Wilhelm Rechnitz.
• Church of St. John, Yorke Island.

[Items 6341/1828 to 6341/1856]

This collection of photographs and photographic negatives record the life of Wilhelm Rechnitz, and his work in northern Queensland with the people of the Torres Strait. Many of them are captioned.

They show his students and parishioners, island events and celebrations, from the 1950s through to the 1970s at: St Pauls Mission Moa Island, Mer (Murray Island), Iama (Yam Island), Waier (Wyer Island), Ugar (Stephens Island), Waiben (Thursday Island), Masig (Yorke Island), Erub (Darnely Island) and Badu (Mulgrave Island).

Also included are several early family photographs, images of Rechnitz taken in England, his ordination in 1954 and snapshots sent to him by friends and family.

[Item 6341/1]

[1034 Photographs, 822 negatives]

This series is a collection of large format photographs relating to Wilhelm Rechnitz, his association with St John's Theological College, Morpeth; St Paul's College, University of Sydney and his ordination as a priest in the Anglican Church.

They include:

• Group portrait of members of St John's Theological College, Morpeth, NSW. Included is a legend to those photographed.
• Group portrait of members of St John's Theological College, Morpeth, NSW taken in front of the residents living quarters.
• Large group photograph of members of St Paul's College, University of Sydney taken on the campus. Included on the mount are the names of those depicted.
• Head and shoulders portraits of Wilhelm Rechnitz, undated.

[Item 6341/2]

This series contains picture postcards sent to Wilhelm Rechnitz from friends and acquaintances including: Karl Bouda, Bishop Ernest Hawkey, Fred Rosenthal [aka Alfred Rosenthal] and others.

[Items 6341/1828 to 6341/1856]

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This series contains booklets, articles and manuscripts, many authored by Wilhelm Rechnitz in relation to the languages of the people of the Torres Strait.

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[Items 6341/1803 to 6341/1824]

Reports prepared by Wilhelm Rechnitz while employed at St Paul's Anglican Mission, Moa Island.

• Report for the school year 1948, St. Paul's Mission, Moa Island. 
• Report (undated) regarding St. Paul's Mission School, Moa Island by Wilhelm Rechnitz and Philip H. MacFarlane.
• Report for 1948/1949, St. Paul's Mission School, Moa Island. 

[Items 6341/1825 to 6341/1827]

This series contains sound recordings of voices and songs of the people of the Torres Strait Islands. Recorded by Wilhelm Rechnitz, and Dr Wolfgang Laade, they include:

Albums

• Torres Strait Island Melodies; Torres Strait Battalion Anglican Mission Boys. Side 1: cuts 1-3; Side 2: cuts 4-5
• Hymns and Songs of the Torres Strait (recorded in the Cathedral Church of All Souls and St. Bartholomew, Thursday Island. Side 1: Eastern Island hymns; Central Island hymns. Side 2: Western Island hymns; Western Island dancing songs; Central Island dancing songs.
• Music to divine services in the Torres Strait. Side 1: Mass & Evensong in Mabuag, translation by Wilhelm Rechnitz and others, music by Ned Mosby; sung by Wilhelm Rechnitz and Yorke Islanders. Side 2: Mass in Miriam, translation by Wilhelm Rechnitz, music by George Passi and James Rice, sung by Wilhelm Rechnitz and Murray Islanders.

Tape recordings

• Miriam Masa audio tape. 3 inch / 8 cm magnetic tape
• Mabuiag Mass; Evensong. 3 inch / 8 cm magnetic tape
• Mass in Miriam language recorded by Dr Wolfgang Laade

[Items 6341/1857 to 6341/1862]

This series constists of telegrams received by Wilhelm Rechnitz dating from 1944 to 1970, including one confirming his ordination in 1954.

[Items 6341/1699 to 6341/1707]