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DEATH OF DR. CARL
MUECKE.
Dr. Carl Muecke, of Hahndorf, a very old
colonist, died yesterday. Dr. Muecke was
in his eighty-third year. He had been in
fairly good health till Saturday last, when he
was taken ill, and died on Tuesday morning,
the cause of death being inflammation of the
lungs. Dr. Muecke was a Doctor of Philo-
sophy, Doctor in Theology, and Master ot
Arts, and was the father of Mr. H. C. E.
Muecke, head of the firm of Messrs. H.
Muecke & Co. of Adelaide, and of
the wife of the Hon. F. Basedow,
M.L.C., of Kent Town. A son who
is dead was a well - known Bank
Manager in this colony. There are about
twenty grandchildren. The doctor had been
thrice married. His first wife died within a
few years after his arrival in South Australia,
and his second wife was a sister of the late Dr.
Schomburgk, Director of the Botanic Gardens.
Dr. Muecke was born on July 16, 1815, at
Möckern, near Magdeberg. He was educated
at the famous University of Bonn, on the
Rhine. Originally intended for mining pur-
suits, he studied at Frieberg ; but he met with
an accident in the mines, and his father was
therefore very much against his continuing his
education there, and he went to the Univer
sity, where he took his degrees. The M.A.
degree was conferred upon him by the
University of Adelaide. In Germany Dr.
Muecke was engaged as a Professor of Teach-
ing, and was very active in connection with
the movement for compulsory education in
the State schools.
Being a good orator he was in demand as a
lecturer in Berlin to a large artisans' Society
called "Handwerker Verein'' before whom
he delivered popular discourses on technical
eduction and such subjects. The same
Society is, we believe, still in existence Dr.
Muecke's brother established a Liedertafel in
connection with the Verein, and his popu-
larity was such that after his death they
erected a monument to his memory.
Leaving Germany in 1849, after the great
revolution, in which he took a lively part, Dr.
Muecke was accompanied to South Australia
by the two brothers Schomburgk, whose
names are so well known in this
colony. He first settled as a farmer
near Gawler, but agricultural pursuits
could not have had any very great
attraction for him, for in 1859 he accepted a
call to the pastorate of a Lutheran Church at
Tanunda, aud shortly afterwards he removed
with his family to the well-known German
settlement. Here he spent a very active life for
about twenty years, having a pastorate
of the Churches at Tanunda, Lyndooh, Con-
cordia, Schonfeld, King's Belt, and other
places where there were congregations. But
it is not his religious work alone that
will remain a monument to his memory.
His efforts to advance education, and to
improve the German schools particularly, were
largely instrumental in moulding public
thought at the time. Through his exertions
an influential Teachers' Association was estab-
lished. His wise counsel, too, was of great
service years ago among the earliest advocates
of the free, secular, and compulsory education
system wliich the colony now enjoys.
A man of active temperament and scholarly
attainmeutii, he naturally threw his restless
energy and ripened experience into all move
ments— public and local— for promoting the
welfare of the community. In politics he was
especially active. He rendered great assis-
tance to the late Sir R. R. Torrens in induc-
ing the people to accept the Real Property
Act, which was largely framod on German
lines, and he was one of the committee who
arranged the memorable festival at Tanunda
in honour of Sir Robert Torrens
after the passing of the Act. Dr.
Muecke was indeed so closely identified
with progressive movements in the early days
that one can scarcely particularize what he
was associated with. For years he took a
very practical interest in the diseases of wheat,
more especially 'takeall' and red rust. His
investigations on this subject led him to write
numerous articles to the Press, including
The Register; and in the seventies when in
Melbourne he won the prize offered in that
city for an essay in connection with these
diseases. Studying the subject with the aid
of the microscope, and very closely
examining the soil and the roots of
the plant, he discovered certain parasites
as the cause of the maladies, which he asserted
were the consequence of certain conditions of
the soil, and which he recommended should be
removed by proper cultivation.
For more than a quarter of a century Dr.
Muecke was actively connected with
journalism. For many years he edited the
German paper in Adelaide, and up to quite
recently wrote leading and other articles for it.
Soon after his arrival in South Australia, in
conjunction with Dr. Otto Schomburgk and
Mr. Gustav Draege, he started a German
newspaper in Adelaide, which later on went
into the hands of Mr. W. Eggers. Subse-
quently the paper was published at Tanunda
by Mr. Rudolf Remer, and was afterwards
purchased by Mr. Basedow and others,
and eventually it became Mr. Basedow's
own property. Dr. Muecke went to Mel-
bourne, where he established a branch
office, and edited the paper; but the venture
not proving a success, Dr. Muecke returned
to Tanunda in 1872, and the journal was con-
tinued at Tanunda up to the end of 1874,
when Mr. Basedow entered into partnership
with Messrs. Eagers and Eimer,
and the Adelaide and Tanunda papers
amalgamated, taking the name of
Australische Zeitung. Dr. Muecke then
came to the city as chief editor of the new
journal. That was twenty-two years ago. For
many years he resided at the Semaphore, but
about eight years ago, thinking the mountain
air would be more beneficial to his health, he
retired to Hahndorf, where he continued to
reside. Two and a half years ago, when he
attained his eightieth anniversary, his nume-
rous friends in the German Club fittingly cele-
brated the event.
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THE LATE DR. MUECKE.
BORN 1815; DIED 1898
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