Carl (Karl) Baumgartner
| First name | Carl (Karl) |
|---|---|
| Last name | Baumgartner |
| Country of Origin | Switzerland |
| Date of Birth | 31/03/01 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1925 |
| Submitted by | Roy Baumgartner |
Story
Karl was the eighth child of Roman and Bertha, the family lived a hard life and the decision was made to emigrate to Australia to seek a better life. The family left Switzerland in 1925 via Le Touge, France by boat before arriving in Brisbane from where the trip to Bundaberg was made via horse and wagon. During the voyage, Carl was chastised for throwing pumpkins (which he had been raised to believe was pig food) at creatures in the sea which he later learnt were dolphins.
Sometime during this period Karl’s name was changed to Carl on his new paperwork. To make a living Carl humped a swag around Queensland before returning to Bundaberg in 1939. Upon his return he met and married a local woman by the name of Leila Honor. They were blessed with 5 children – Carl (Bob), Merle, Noel, Roy and Jennifer.
Although Carl missed his beloved Switzerland, he loved his new homeland and was determined to raise his children as Australians – refusing to speak Swiss unless everyone present could understand it.
Carl passed away on 1st January 1982 and was survived by Leila (now deceased), their five children and a multitude of grandchildren who miss him to this day.