Hahndorf is a village in the Australian state of South Australia with around 1,800 inhabitants. The village is located 28 km southeast of Adelaide in South Australia and is a tourist attraction of the Adelaide Hills region , as Hahndorf is one of the first German settlements in Australia. The German heritage is still visible today, for example in the form of bakeries with typical German baked goods as well as butchers with a variety of sausage products that are atypical in the rest of Australia.
The first German settlers who founded Hahndorf were Lutherans from the eastern Prussian territories who wanted to emigrate because they had been killed by the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III. were persecuted for their religion. From November to December 1838 several ships carrying emigrants reached South Australia and Port Adelaide .
However, the arrival of the ship “Zebra” on December 28, 1838 with 187 German immigrants on board is particularly important for the founding history of Hahndorf. The three-master was under the command of Sylt's captain Dirk Meinerts Hahn . He was so impressed by his passengers and their willingness to emigrate that he helped them find a suitable piece of land and start over. In May 1839 all settlers had found their way to the allotted land, and in honor of the captain they named the settlement Hahndorf.
history
The settlers worked hard to farm the land and produce food for survival. The South Australian government gave them provisions for a year, cattle and a preacher, so that the settlement conditions were good from the start. In the first year the Hahndorfer built a church. The town flourished within the first decade of existence. Vineyards were planted, the women worked e.g. B. as shepherds and the men hired themselves as labor from the surrounding landowners.
During the First World War , the residents of Hahndorf experienced strong resentment because of their German roots. Finally the place name was changed to Ambleside by a parliamentary decision of 1917. Building names have also been changed. The German Arms Hotel, for example, was renamed the Ambleside Hotel . Only in 1935 did Hahndorf get its original name back.
today
Hahndorf is one of the main tourist attractions of the Adelaide Hills area. Tourism is an important source of income for many Hahndorfer. The Hahndorf branch of the National Trust Association has been fighting for many years to preserve the city's cultural history. However, critical voices note that Hahndorf could be damaged by "over-commercialization" and lose its integrity as a tourist resort. The “visual confusion” due to too many signs on the main street, the erection of unsuitable houses and the lack of balance between the appreciation of the historical heritage and the tourist trade are viewed as a particular threat.
