Friedrich ‘Fritz’ Krichauff, of a well-to-do Schleswig family, arrived in Adelaide in 1848 and founded a business as a land agent, although his love was botany. He entered Parliament in 1857 and sat for over thirty years. In 2010 a large collection of his letters was given to the Library. These include letters from his sister Mimi and his friends in the 1840s.

This letter is from Mimi and mentions Sardorf's mansion burning down and the death of a young Carl Holstein at New Year. Also writes of joining someone named Fontenay in Kiel. Got a whole house to rent, diagonally across from the railway station, very narrow and high...living room on first floor, bedrooms second floor, kitchen in the cellar. No need to go for walks anymore, will get enough exercise in the house. Is quite exhausted after Christmas festivities. Tonight Lilian Kron gives a ball, half the town will be there.

Sütterlin script is derived from late Medieval cursive handwriting and related to German blackletter printing typefaces. It appears in numerous written letters and documents held by the State Library but few people are able to read the script today.

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Published courtesy of Tom Darragh