August Kavel: Difference between revisions

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'''August Ludwig Christian Kavel''' was born in [[Berlin]], [[Germany]] on [[September 3]], [[1798]]. In 1826 he became Pastor at the church in [[Klemzig]], [[Prussia]] ([[Germany]]), and was Pastor at this ___location until [[1835]]. He died [[February 12]], [[1860]] in [[South Australia]]. Pastor Kavel was a founder of [[Lutheranism]] in [[Australia]].

In [[1826]] Kavel was [[ordained]] and [[installed]] as the [[Pastor]] at the church in [[Klemzig]], [[Prussia]]. During this period beginning from [[1798]] (and continuing to [[1840]]), the [[Christian]] church in Prussia, had been subjected to a number of changes, brought about by the decrees of the king of Prussia, King [[Frederick William III]]. These decrees were intended to unify the Lutheran and Reformed Churches into one [[Prussian Union (Evangelical Christian Church)| 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.

In the period that Kavel was Pastor of the church in Klemzig, the king of Prussia, King [[Frederick William III]], had made decrees which offended [[Lutherans]] in general, including the Lutheran congregation at Klemzig. In the years following [[1934]], the church along with other [[Christians]] in Prussia defied the decrees made by the king. The State in turn, applied increasing pressure on the churches to obey the decrees of the king.

Pastor Kavel was not initially one of this group. Frederick William’s revised edition of the worship agenda that was released in 1829 (as with the first edition), was voluntary for usage in congregations. 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 of 1835, that he would no longer use the worship agenda. [[Easter]] Monday, [[1835]] Kavel was removed from the ministry, and was prohibited from practicing as a pastor. His congregation likewise were prohibited from using the church premises, and participating in any worship services presided by suspended Pastors.

It was in this environment that 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. Knowing of a similar oppressed group of [[Mennonites]] that had emigrated from Prussia to [[Russia]], Kavel made inquiries into the possibility of doing likewise. However, due to an uprising in Poland at that time, this option became impossible. Other groups had migrated to the [[United States]], and so Kavel traveled to [[Hamburg]] to investigate this possibility. Due to a lack of funds, Kavel was unable to cover the fares of the whole congregation and so [[emigration]] to the United States was not possible either.

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 traveled to [[Hamburg]] to inquire into the possibility of migrating to [[Russia]], or the [[United States]], however both of these options were not possible.

On his trip to Hamburg however, Kavel was informed of the possibility of migrating to [[Australia]]. In 1836, Kavel traveled to [[London]], [[England]] to meet with [[George Fife Angas]], the chairman of the [[South Australia Company]], which was searching for emigrants to settle the large land acquisitions it had around the area of present day [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]]. Angas personally provided a loan to Kavel and the oppressed Lutherans from Klemzig, in a chartering of four ships; [[Prince George, ship|Prince George]], [[Bengalee, ship|Bengalee]], [[Zebra, ship|Zebra]], and the [[Catharina, ship|Catharina]], on their behalf. The Prince George and the Bengalee, left Hamburg in July [[1838]], and arrived in Port Adelaide in November. The Zebra left in August 1838, and arrived in December. The Catharina left in September 1838, and arrived in January [[1839]]. In all Kavel and the group traveling with him, numbered approximately 400.

In Hamburg, Kavel was informed of the possibility of migrating to [[Australia]]. Kavel traveled 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 met favorably 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.

On arriving in South Australia, Kavel began land negotiations for a settlement for his group, and he succeeded in securing land in the [[Barossa Valley]]

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 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 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 appeared to now 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, ship|Prince George]], the [[Bengalee, ship|Bengalee]], the [[Zebra, ship|Zebra]], and the [[Catharina, ship|Catharina]]. The Prince George and the Bengalee, left Hamburg on July 8, [[1838]] with about 250 of the emigrants. They traveled to [[Plymouth]], where they picked up Pastor Kavel, and then continued on their journey, until they arrived in [[Port Adelaide]] on [[November 20]], [[1838]]. The Zebra left in August 1838 with 187 on board, and arrived in [[Holdfast Bay]], on [[December 28]]. Eleven people, six adults, five children died on the trip. The Catharina left in September 1838, and arrived in January [[1839]]. In all, this group of ships transported approximately 596 migrants from Prussia to Australia.

These new migrants rented 150 acres from George Angas, and established their first settlement in Australia: [[Klemzig, South Australia|Klemzig]]. On the arrival of the third ship, the Zebra, the town [[Hahndorf, South Australia|Hahndorf]] was established. A third settlement of Prussian migrants was established at [[Glen Osmond, South Australia|Glen Osmond]].

On [[May 23]] and [[May 24|24]] 1839, Kavel convened a meeting of the [[elders]] of the three villages. At this meeting, the constitution of the new Australian Lutheran synod - [[Kavel-Fritzsche Synod]] – was adopted. In 1840 a letter was sent to the “Old Lutherans” in Prussia to encourage others to also emigrate. Included in this letter was a request for a second pastor to be sent also. On [[October 28]], [[1841]], 224 additional Prussian immigrants arrived in Adelaide, having left Hamburg on [[July 11]], [[1841]] – 274 had left Hamburg, but due to a high level of illness, 50 had died on the voyage. With them was Pastor [[Gotthard Daniel Fritzsche]], who had been encouraged to emigrate because of the Prussian government’s requirement for a Pastor to accompany the emigrants.

The villages [[Lobethal, South Australia| Lobethal]] and [[Bethanien, South Australia| Bethanien]] were settled. In 1842, Langmeil was settled. Tension arose between Kavel and the settled migrants at Hahndorf, and Klemzig, when he strongly urged them to relocate to Langmeil.

[[Category:Lutherans|Kavel, August Ludwig Christian]]