Erika Grundmann

N L. W Z E A L A N D • (T" I Mansons Landing BC VOP 1KO

monesA u g u s t / S e p t e m b e r 2000

I S S N 1173-4159

9 "771 173"415007

World War II pilot Frank Welford

Kerikeri Music Camps

Childhood memories - 'Strawberry Fields Forever'

Antarctic journey : Robert Falcon Scott

Images from the regions : Hawke's Bay and Otago

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GERMANGEORGEErika Grundmann is researching the intriguingcharacter of George Dibbern. In this shortexcerpt Erika explores a segment of George'sdiverse life whilst living in the Hawke's Bay.

of rust, lured by the freedom of Australia, he jumpedship in Sydney and set out to seek his fortune in theBlue Mountains. Confident to the point of appearingcocky, his motto was "I'm a sailor - 1 can do anything!"He worked with the blasting crew in the Lithgow Tunnelconstruction, and as a waiter at The Hydro Hotel inMedlow Bath where he quickly learned English andbecame known as "George." It was at The Hydro thathe met fellow German Wilhelm Hugo Hildebrandt withwhom, in 1910, he travelled to New Zealand.

Hildebrandt, ten years Dibbern's senior and married toFrancis Keneally, a young Australian widow with two

George Dibbern, as "Business Man," Sydney, 1911

George Johann Dibbern was born March 26,1889 in Kiel, Germany. His father was a mastermariner who sailed his schooner to exotic

places and passed on his love of the sea to his son.As a boy Georg spent many a day playing at explorers,smugglers and pirates, improvising sailing craft withhis friends. After he had completed school in March1907, he headed off to sea aboard the square-rigger,Pamelia, of the Flying P Line. Three voyages later, tiredof the monotony of the food and the incessant chipping

'MEMORIES

children, settled in Napier where he established hisown "Hydro," an "Institute for Scientific Massage,Electricity, Physical Culture & Chiropody," at the cornerof Emerson and Dalton Streets. George, however, inpursuit of adventure, soon left New Zealand. Hetravelled throughout Tasmania, back to Sydney, andsubsequently took a job on a steamer home toGermany. It wasn't long before he returned to Sydneyto start a business importing a type of canvas canoemanufactured in Germany. Soon his partnerlost interest, the business failed andDibbern, with only four dollars inhis pocket, looked up his friendin New Zealand.

Once more in Napier, where he likely lived with theHildebrandts, he spent a month washing cars, followedby a short time driving a taxi. He "sold the car for theboss to some Maoris," moved to the Dannevirke areaand drove for them for a year till he was able to affordhis own car (a Willys Knight) and establish his own taxiservice. In his book Quest (W.W. Norton, N.Y., 1941and'john Lane, London, 1941) he writes, "That waswhere I made my best friends, all through that car.

They were my customers and I became oneof them, because that's the Maori way."

Dibbern was enjoying life. Hemade a lot of money. He was

passionate about the races and claims to have knowneverything there was to know about horses and racing,but obviously not everything, for he lost as much as hewon! He was by no means ready to settle down. Hesold his car by auction, collected his money and tooka steamer to Rarotonga. Like many a young man hewas seduced by the beauty and lifestyle of the southsea island. This was where he would spend the rest ofhis life! He would just back track to New Zealand towrap up his affairs and then return to the plantationthat he had already picked out.

The year was 1914. Cashing in his assets took longerthan anticipated. War was declared and that put anend to George's dream. Initially he was not interned,but neither was he permitted to drive a taxi. He creditsthe Maori for taking him "into the deep warm

Polynesian heart." He was invited to live with ManahiPaewai and when the patriarch died, he was"inherited" by Rangi Rangi Paewai with whom he cameto share a special bond. Having lost his parents earlyin life (his father had died when he was six, his motherwhen he was seventeen), George thrived under thenurturing attention, and in the friendship of Ted, Wai,Jim, of Sid, of Charlotte and Wirihana. For the firstthree years he reported to the police in Dannevirketwice a week. He started bee farming with HenryStockmar who managed the undertaking on hisproperty, allowing George to live among the Maoriwhere he kept another lot of bees. He helped "MotherRangi" drive and maintain her cars. With the horse shehad given him, he helped in looking after the sheep,participated in (and later wrote about) shearing,harvesting, eel roasts, sheep trials, horse shows.

George Dibbern with the horse given to him by Rangi Rangi Paewai. Dannevirke, December 1917The hat became something of a "trademark" during the ten years he lived in Germany after his deportation in 1919. Dibbern is

referred to in G.R. Halkett's The Dear Monster (Jonathan Cape, London, 1935, p. 314) as "wearing a kind of Boy Scout hat."

MEMORIES

It was Dibbern's riding in a local agricultural show inDecember 1917 that moved some citizens to agitatefor his internment - while their sons were fighting tothe death in Europe, "German George" was enjoyingthe good life right before their eyes. Although theaccusations regarding Dibbern's alleged "disloyalstatements" were withdrawn, George Dibbern wasapprehended on June 4, 1918 and interned onSomes Island four days later. On the 14 of May 1919he was among the passengers, including Count vonLuckner, to board the ship Willochra for transport toRotterdam where they arrived on the 18th July. Atthirty years of age, Dibbern had already lived whatsome would call a lifetime of experiences, but for himthat was just a beginning!

: The I au, • 'welcome

correspondence from anyone who. :ir

was either personal^ or indirectly »' S / •••\gri~' '•' ==:= • / - ' ~"\ •

Associated with George, Dibbern.7 ' . ': • ; " . I f • : . -

Please write to: Erika Grundmann. 'JjkV "W^f- ' iJtf

I _>- '=• ' ' • f X ' - Ari// XP 0 Box 227/Manson's Landing,

Cortes Island, VOP IKQfCanad?•-.-": iL^" 'f -iff ' ':'/ '?

or e-mail: grundman@island.ne /*nail: gr

:

Dibbern considered MrsLuxford Peeti, better knownas Rang! Rang! Paewai(standing) his "spiritualmother."The lady seated may be Mrs.Mark who accompanied MrsPeeti to visit him during hisinternment on Somes Island.

MEMORIES