Carl Hermann KOEPPEN

   FamilySearch ID: 96WZ-ZVL.

  General Notes:

Carl along with a number of other members of the Koeppen family changed their surname to Koeppen Wendt around 1915 to avoid social isolation and discrimination. This was quite a common practise for people with German names.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Article from History of CraftMasonry in SA, 1940. This article was takem from "A History of Craftmasonry in South Australia 1884-1934

Hermann Koeppen Wendt
RW Senior Grand Warden from April 1923 to April 1924
RW Deputy Grand Master from April 1924 to April 1928
RW Acting Grand Master from May 1927 to April 1928
MW Past Grand Master (conferred) April 1930
MW Grand Treasurer from April 1934 to February 1938

Hermann Koeppen Wendt was born in Adelaide in 1860. After leaving school in 1876 he entered the family business of J. M. Wendt, Jewellers, in Rundle Street, and became sole proprietor when his father died in 1917. Under his management the business continued to expand and to prosper.

He was deeply interested in his church and was largely instrumental in organising the building of a new All Souls Church at St Peters. In the face of considerable opposition, mainly on the ground that the proposed building was too expensive for the congregation, he and others persevered and the church was eventually built during World War I. Two fine stained glass windows have since been added to the church, one dedicated to the memory of Hermann Koeppen Wendt and the other to the memory of his son, Lieutenant Kenneth Wendt, who was killed in action in France in 1917.

His other great interest was Freemasonry. On 6 October 1881, soon after his twenty-first birthday he was initiated in Lodge of Friendship, No. 423, EC. He was passed to the Degree of Fellow Craft on 1 December and raised as a Master Mason on 2 February 1882. In 1888, he called off for a few years and became a foundation member of St Peters Lodge, No. 47, when it was formed in July 1901. He was invested as Junior Warden of that Lodge on 6 July 1903, and as Senior Warden a year later. On 3 July 1905, he was installed as Master. He served as a Grand Steward in 1906. He was elected to the Board of General Purposes in April 1911, and continued on the Board until April 1915. He was again elected to the Board in April 1921, and continued to serve either as an elected or an ex officio member until his death seventeen years later.

During his year as Senior Grand Warden from April 1923, he so distinguished himself that he was elected Deputy Grand Master in April 1924 and continued in that office for five years. During this time he travelled widely throughout South Australia visiting Lodges and urging them to qualify for the Hall Stone Jewel and
thus contribute to the building of the new Freemasons' Hall in North Terrace.

For eleven and a half months from early May 1927, until April 1928 (ie from the death Of MW Bro. Slaney Poole until the election of MW Bro. the Hon. Mr Justice J. M. Napier) he acted as Grand Master, as provided by the Constitutions. He carried out his duties wisely, fully and conscientiously. It was a period of great activity in Freemasonry in South Australia. Whilst he was acting as Grand Master, fourteen new Lodges were consecrated, including nine in which the ceremony was carried out by Bro. Wendt himself. In addition, he dedicated one. temple and laid the foundation stone of another. He presided over two Lodges of Sorrow and apart from the ceremonial duties of his office, spent his time freely and generously in attending to the many other matters which arose almost daily and demanded his attention.

He had leave of absence in 1926 to visit the United Kingdom. While in London he saw, bought and later presented to Grand Lodge a sword similar to the one borne before the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England on ceremonial occasions. This, the Wendt Sword, is still used as the Sword of State by our Grand Lodge.

Six years after laying down his office of Acting Grand Master he was elected Grand Treasurer and continued to manage the financial affairs of Grand Lodge for nearly five years. He was also active in the Mark and Royal Arch Chapters and held high offices in both these Orders.

From 1900 onwards he made a number of business trips overseas. During one of these journeys through Burma in 1928, he was invited to attend a lodge meeting in Rangoon. Those who attended were more than surprised when his distinguished
position in the Grand Lodge of South Australia became known.

On 4 October 1923, he rejoined the Lodge of Friendship and maintained his membership in his mother Lodge and also in St Peters Lodge until his death.

Among his many charitable interests were the Home for Incurables, of which he was President for seven years, the Walkerville Boys' Home and the Morialta Protestant Children's Home. One of his hobbies was horse riding and he took part
in the Hunt for many years.

In spite of his considerable prestige in Freemasonry and in the business world of Adelaide, Hermann Wendt was a man of great personal modesty in his demeanour as well as in his relations with others. He was genial and cheerful in his every day life but inflexible in matters of principle. He could not abide slackness or
indifference to duty and gave a trenchant rebuke when it was deserved. He was generous and kindly by nature and gave himself unstintingly to whatever he undertook. His long and distinguished service in Freemasonry was of great benefit to the
Craft during the rapid expansion which followed the end of the World War I, as well as during the difficult years of the depression. None deserved more than he the honour of the rank of Past Grand Master which was conferred upon him in April 1930.

He died at his home in Winchester Street St Peters, on 13 February 1938, at the age of 77 years.

Carl married Jane (Jenny) SHANNON on 24 Apr 1889. (Jane (Jenny) SHANNON was born on 11 Oct 1864 in South Australia and died on 5 Dec 1953 in South Australia.)