Objekt des Monats
Jedes Objekt in der Sammlung des Deutschen Auswandererhauses erzählt eine ganz persönliche Auswanderungs- oder Einwanderungsgeschichte. In dieser Rubrik stellen wir Ihnen jeden Monat ein anderes Objekt vor – eine Fotografie, ein Dokument oder ein persönliches Erinnerungsstück.
January 2018
Travel report ‘Governor Phillip’s Journey to New South Wales’ by Arthur Phillip, published by F. Schrämbl in 1792
Historical Context
Australia Day is celebrated in Australia on January 26. The official national holiday commemorates the arrival of the first fleet of ships that reached the bay of what is now Sydney Harbor on January 26, 1788. The arrival of the ‘First Fleet’ marks the beginning of European settlement of the Australian continent. In 1786, Great Britain decided to use present-day Australia – then known as ‘New Holland’ – as a penal colony. To accompany the first transport of prisoners, the Royal Navy provided two small warships. The transport of the convicts, supplies, and equipment took place on nine rented civilian freighters. The group consisted of 1,403 men, women, and children, including the captain and future governor of the colony, Arthur Phillip. Arthur Phillip recorded his experiences in a travel report, which was printed and published in German by F. Schrämbl in 1792.
Short Biography
Arthur Phillip was born on October 11, 1738, in London. His father was an immigrant German language teacher, and his mother was English. At the age of 17, Phillip joined the Royal Navy. Following the decision of the British Crown to deport prisoners to Australia, Phillip was appointed captain of the first convict fleet in 1786 and governor of the new colony of New South Wales. On May 13, 1787, the ‘First Fleet’ set sail, and about eight months later, Phillip set foot on Australian soil. After more than four years of service, he left New South Wales for health reasons at the end of 1792 and returned to England, where he resigned from his position as governor of the Australian colony. In England, Phillip remained active in the British Navy, rising to the rank of Admiral and participating in the Napoleonic Wars against France. Phillip died in 1814 in Bath, England, where he spent the last years of his life with his second wife.
Significance of the Object
The travel report is a testament to British colonial history and describes the beginning of European settlement in Australia. Australia Day commemorates the arrival of the ‘First Fleet’ and outlines the founding history of the Australian nation. It tells the ‘story of the victors,’ not that of the oppressed indigenous population. When Arthur Phillip landed in 1788, it is estimated that around 750,000 Aborigines were already living in Australia. Violent and brutal assaults, along with introduced European diseases, nearly exterminated the indigenous society – by 1920, only about 60,000 of them remained. For this reason, the celebrations of Australia Day are critically viewed especially by indigenous groups today. For them, the arrival of the ‘First Fleet’ marks the beginning of displacement and cultural loss.
Do You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de