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The Appelt Library

Friedrich Gotthelf Ernst Appelt’s private library.

In the early 1930s, due to financial difficulties caused by the depression years, Friedrich Appelt was forced to sell books from his private library. He offered many of them to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Australia, the strand of Lutheranism Friedrich belonged to, and one of a number of Lutheran synods in Australia at that time.

To prepare the books for sale, he made a detailed list of the title of each edition and its asking price. We do not know the extent of his library, or indeed what proportion of his library was put up for sale and how much was left intact.

Despite these unknowns, the meticulous, type-written list recorded by Friedrich gives us an unparalleled view into the intellectual sensibilities and curiosities of Friedrich, and possibly his wife and family, as well as the professional manuals and guidebooks necessary for the pursuit of business at the Appelt General Store in Eudunda.

It must be stressed, of course, that the date of acquisition for many of the editions is unknown; some may have only been acquired by Friedrich following Emilie’s death in 1922, thereby limiting the applicability of the list with the aim to become more familiar with Emilie.

The list went as follows:

Mr F.G.E. Appelt of Eudunda has presented his library to Synod. The books are herewith offered for sale at the prices indicated. Please send orders to Rev. F. Hassold. Eudunda. S.A.

Prices do not include postage or freight.

Farmers’ Encycl. for Farm and Home (German)                    1/6

English-Tamil Dictionary                                                             2/6

Dictionary, Talkers (pronouncing)                                            1/

Bible – German (damaged)                                                         6d

Lobstein, Taegliche Andachten (damaged)                            1

Kiez(?), Goldkoerner und Perlen                                               6d

Thorpe, Textbook of Science Quantit. Chem. Anal.             1/

Palmzweige                                                                                    6d

Collins, Inorganic Chemistry                                                      6d

Hach’s Botany                                                                               6d

British Pharmocopaea 3 vols @ 6d                                          1/6

Habermans Gebete                                                                      6d

Fundamentals – 7 copies @ 3d                                                  1/9

Beleuchtung Dr. Schneiders Broschuere                                9d

Huebner – Breslau und Missouri                                               2/

Zorn, Die Vergebung der Suenden                                           9

Macauley, Lays of Ancient Rome                                              6d

Paul Gerhardt, Vier Leichenpredigten                                     9d

Walther, Rechte Gestalt                                                             2/6

Gebetbuecher, Luthers und andere                                         3/6

Reiseharfe mit Noten                                                                  9d

Geschichte der Deutsch-franzoesisches Krieges                   6d

Bunyan, Der Heiligen Krieg                                                        1/6

Homeopathic Treatment of Infants                                         1/

Veterinary Counter Practice                                                      1/

Keuster Bienenfreund                                                                 6d

Elementary Dispensing Practice by Ince                                 2/

The Prospector’s Pocketbook by G.A. Goyder                       6d

Enquire Within upon Everything                                               6d

Sir Harry Rarlsleigh(?) vols I to III                                              1/6

Gottes Wort – Andachten von Scriver                                     3/6

Koch – Law und Gospel                                                                3/

Petri – Der Glaube                                                                        2/

Der Deklamator – German and English                                    1/

Ehrendenkmal Treuer Zeugen Christi vols 1-3                      12/

Christliche Kreuzschule – Andachten (Wudrian)                    4/

Dallmann – Battle of the Bible with the Bibles                       3/

Deklamierbuch – Gustmann(?)                                                   2/6

Gerhards Betrachtungen                                                            3/

Schachspiel – Dufresne                                                               2/

Kleiner Gebetsschatz(?)                                                              6d

Palmenzweige 2 @ 3d                                                                6d

Lueckes, Der Burgerkrieg der Vereinigten Staaten              3/6

Kronprinz Wilhelms Erinnerungen                                           2/6

Weseloh – Herrlichkeit Gottes in der Natur                           3/

Urquhart, Die Neuen Entdeckungen u. die Bibel

                                                                           5 Baende             £1

Goldkoener – Walther(?) Predigten                                          3/

Geistliche Gebetopfer – Kirch und Hausandachten              1/6

Die Silberne Kette (??) Hel.Hubner                                           3/

Fritz Reuter Bd. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 @ 1/-                                            5/

Schillers Werke 6 Bde                                                                 24/-

Statue of famed German author, Friedrich Schiller. “BERLINO – Friedrich Schiller” by gabrilu is licensed with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Blumenlese dere Neueren Literatur-Tanunda Zeitung        1/

Gott Segne Dich – Gedichtssammlung, Crull                          3/6

Koehler – Englishe – deutsches Woerterbuch                        9/6

Pieper – Kraft des Evangeliums                                                 3d

Lessings Werke                                                                             3/6

Richter – Die Evangelischen Missionen                                   5/

Das Deutsche Liederlexikon – Haertel                                      7/6

The Leisure Hour                                                                          5/

Graebner – Geschichte der Lutherischen Kirche

                                                                           Amerikas             6/

Altenburger Bibelwerk        A.T. 2 Bde @ £1                           £2

                                              N.T. 2 Bde (beschaedigt) 2 B.      £1-(?)

Bogatzky – Taegliches Hausbuch (Andachten) 2 B.               15/

Zorn – Taeglichen Andachten (beschaedigt)                          2/

Zorn – Brosamlein                                                                        10/6

Familienbibel                                                                                 7/6

Family Bible                                                                                   7/6

Hundert – Memorable Years in America                                 2/6

Zorn – Der Heiland                                                                       7/6

Walther Hausandachten 2 Bde @ 13/6                                  27/-

Walther Postille (Epistel)                                                            18/

Jeremias Gotthelfs Ausgewaehlte Werke                               4/

Frommels Erzaehlungen                                                             2/

Peters – Geheime Gesellschaften 14 Stueck @ 6d               5/

Willkomms Halte Was Du Hast 4 Stueck @ 6d                      2/

Der Chiliasmus                  5 Stueck @ 1/3                                6/3

Zagels Allerlei                    4 Stueck @ 1/                                  4/

Moore – Veterinary Homeopathy                                             1/6

Druggist’s General Receipt Book                                              6d

For King and Fatherland – Episodes                                         3d

Magistrate’s Guide                                                                      6d

Nelson’s Home Comforts                                                           6d

Hermannsburger Missionsblatt (1872, 77, 79) for               1/9

(The insertion of a ‘?’ indicates a character indeterminable from the primary source.) 

It is entirely plausible, that Emilie read the works of Friedrich Schiller and Gotthold Lessing, two giants of eighteenth-century German literature. She may also have read works by Fritz Reuter, a north-German novelist from the nineteenth century.

The ‘Appelt Library’ demonstrates a strong connection to Lutheranism, indeed, much of the literature listed above is theological in nature. For example, the library includes works from evangelical German theologian Julius Richter (1862-1940), and Rev. Dr. Carl Manthey Zorn (1846-1928), as well as as books explaining the Bible, providing daily prayer and devotion, and exploring God’s presence in nature and law.

One book by Jean Dufresne called Schachspiel (‘A Game of Chess’) proves Friedrich’s love of chess. Another by Thomas Babington Macaulay, called Lays of Ancient Rome, suggests an interest in Romantic poetry with classical overtones. The book Magistrates Guide reminds us of Friedrich’s role as a local magistrate and Justice of the Peace, while the various titles pertaining to homeopathy, chemistry, and the manufacture of medicine, remind us of the business he ran in Eudunda.

The list of books sold by Friedrich Appelt allows us to pull aside the veil of historical obscurity and understand his leisurely curiosities, his professional obligations, his deeply spiritual journey, and, quite possibly, that of Emilie too.

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