Cirrus@Austlit

Barbara Henson's biography is aptly titled: Pastor Friedrich Wilhelm Albrecht undoubtedly was 'a straight-out man'. The author traces Albrecht's life from his birth to German parents in Planawice, Poland, in 1894 to his death in Adelaide, Australia, ninety years later. His parents' life as farmers, his lameness from the age of twelve which meant that he spent much time reading Lutheran tracts, and his war service as a stretcher-bearer, all undoubtedly influenced his life as a Lutheran pastor in Central Australia. He was a steadfast man, dependable, brave, a staunch Lutheran and also, as one of the Devil's own flock stated, a rarity amongst the Lutherans at Hermannsburg mission in that he could mix with anyone and had a sense of humour (pers. comm., the late Bryan Bowman ; also p p 119-20). Bryan considered that it was Albrecht's war service that had given him a strong sense of the strengths and weaknesses of human nature, and contributed to his tolerance and sense-of humour.'  (Introduction)