The Godeffroys

(Articles in the PIM in November, 1948, March, 1949, and September, 1949, described the impetus given by Johann Cesar Godeffroy, head of the great Godeffroy firm, of Hamburg, to German commercial penetration and colonisa tion in the South Pacific Islands. The following letter to the editor was written after the publication of Mr.

Gurau’s article on page 76 of the September issue.) AUSTRALIA also comes into the pic ture of the many activities of the house of Godeffroy. From 1863 to 1872, during the period when Johan Cesar Godeffroy was at the head of the firm, Frau Amalie Dietrich worked for them in Australia and other places.

“She did pioneering work in Queens land of great value to natural science, collecting and preparing, in the most ex pert manner, for dispatch to Europe, specimens of plants and animals, many of them unknown to scientists until that time. She also took a keen interest in the native population of Australia. Whilst in this country, she endured untold hard ships and sometimes faced great danger with undaunted courage and perse verance.” (Quoted from the Foreword to Australische Briefe).

Those specimens were for the private museum of Herr Cesar Godeffroy, in Hamburg. On her return voyage to Europe she visited Tonga.

A vivid description of her life and work in Australia is given in her letters to her daughter, Charitas, in Germany.

Some of these letters were edited and published (in German) by Associate Professor Augustin Lodewychx, of the University of Melbourne, under the title, “Australische Briefe von Amalie Dietrich.”

They make very interesting and enter taining reading.

I am, etc.,

(Miss) B. W. Milne.

42, The Avenue, Parkville, Victoria.

A diplomat is one who can tell you to go to hell so tactfully that you look forward to the trip.