Modrafications

We own our inheritance to learn to celebrate it

2011-10-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Love the way the Queen ( who visited Australia in October 2011) symbolizes and practices things tangible and real - the commonwealth, encouragement and mutual respect ( including for our limitations ) .
I say this to justify the following loose labelling in the picture . My antecedents ( Sorbs ) come from the centre . Overrun by cabbage ,boring ,egoists,huns and with risk of permanent numb they found freedom and faith by accepting, as possible, all parts of their inheritance.

1959 Louis purchased land at Gruyere

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1948 Louis B7C1D4 married Adrienne

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You'll have to read the book for more

1946 Alf's family move to Melbourne

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After the four boys came back from the war, son Louis and Tilly invested in a small poultry farm/orchard in Nunawading, Vic. Tilly provided a new home for her sons while they explored new opportunities in Melbourne. She and her sons became foundation members of Box Hill Lutheran Church and she served there in the Ladies Guild, in particular.

1944

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Alf B7C1 died unexpectedly of appendicitis in 1944, just as the government had decided to enlarge the properties in this very dry Mallee area . Unexpectedly, though, for these innovators and conservation cup winners, they were not chosen to have an expanded area. Along with others, they lost their farm. Some of the older brothers naturally sought to retain the farm and their investment in it.. Compensation was meagre. Alf’s family got less for the property after twenty years hard work than the amount they had brought into the area twenty years earlier.

1930s The War Years

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Four of Alf's B7C1 boys went off to War to defend Australia . When they came back they each added their savings to the dwindling kitty. Some of them came back changed men, one never to return to work again, returning home to full time care of his mother.

1927 Alf B7C1 and Tilly selected 790 acres in the Mallee

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For seventeen years after they were married in the Lutheran church in Gawler , Alf and Tilly worked on land near the family homestead area west of Kangaroo flat, raising up one girl and six boys, lots of flowers, yeast streusel kuchen, pasties and watermelons.

By the early 1900’s, though, the Modras had outgrown their small allotment, and were looking for new opportunities for growth and development. Many of Alfs brothers were seeking to make a living on 100 acres of very sandy and "poor ground" to the south of the main homestead . While it must have been tough for these families in this dry country ;-they were used to gardening, but in the more sustainable environment of the Spreewald. However as the 60th anniversary of their Dad's wedding showed in 1937, these families continued to relish the new opportunities in their new homeland.
Not to be deterred by more mere hard work, this mature age couple, and their large teenage family, moved off to clear some more mallee scrub in the tradition of their father and grandfather.

Their youngest son Max has compiled a outline of their life on an even drier farm of 800 acres in a booklet titled "On the Farm at Bambill ( July 2006) You can read more in the Modra family book about the next move to Melbourne in 'Below the white blossom and abundant fruit " by J.L. Modra.

1920

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Something happened you tell me

1915

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Something happened you tell me

1910

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Something happened you tell me

1908 Birthday celebrations for Christiana

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A large crowd of family and friends turned up at Kangaroo Flat to help celebrate the blessings and life of Christiana on her 90th birthday . (Back page of the Modra book)

1903 Adolph B10 married Elizabeth

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1900

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something happened, but you tell me

1885 Fred B6 moves to Horsham, Victoria

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1881 Will B9 marries Lena

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1877 August B7 marries Johanna

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August, the then baby of the family, spent his first night on the trip to Australia in an old boiler at the Port, his mother Christiana stuffing clothing into the rusted holes to keep out the piercing wind. He was twelve months old..

In 1877 he married Miss Johanna Wilhelm of Mount Torrens, the ceremony taking place at Lobethal A couple of years later, with a son of 15 months , the family took up land (131 acres) at Kangaroo Flat, where they remained.

Strain and difficulty faced the young pair, for they had taken fortune in their hands and tackled the mallee scrub with just their own power -no horse, no vehicle; not even the ubiquitous barrow.

you can read more of their great story in the Modra Book (2004) The material courtesy of the Bunyip News

1876 Freiderich B6 marries Maria Domaschenz

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1868

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something happened not sure what - you tell me

1867 Christiana B5 marries Matt Lucas

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1867 Martin B3 marries Louisa

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1866 Christian B2 marries Catherine sets up feed and fertilizer business

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Phosphorous imports started early at Christians siding at Port Adelaide

1865 Anna B4 marries Martin Kuhlmann settles Freeling

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1852 Modra Moves -The Start : Matthes and Christiana emigrate

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The settlement pattern around Werben ,

First in a series . All Modras are related . As far as we know there are no other Modras even though in the Spreewald area in West Germany where Matthes came from in 1852, there were people with longer names that include the prefix "Modra "and Modri . Modras were tenant farmers who lived in small towns like Werben and took their cows out to paddocks and land worked nearby.
The Modras were part of a strong minority community of faith called the Wends ( or Sorbs ) who were deeply affected by major changes to the land ownership situation in their area at the time. Despite their poverty ( took them years to pay back their fares ) and sense of displacement ( they chose to leave ) this group of hard working peoples , with nothing much but their very own sense of identity celebrated life and faith in a way which was evident in the stories from the ship (Koch 1854 ), the focus of Christiana's celebration of her 90th in Kangaroo flat in 1908, and the response of those who stayed back. Across the doorways in the area some years later you could find "Bog dal Zognowane" which means in their own unique language " God gives his blessing ".These signs were put there to celebrate the good news back from Australia and their own history. These free speaking Wends or Sorbs, as they known today ,weren't really typically " German " ; their unique sense of identity was an annoyance to both old and new Prussians for centuries ( Hitler sent them to the front line and would not allow them to speak their own language ) . One of the earliest pieces of their literature was a translation of the New Testament into Sorb in 1548. Their art ( pictured ) and music is a source of considerable interest in Europe today.

Matthes family were part of a large group of Wends who left the area in the 1850's to settle together( in not quite as close a fashion ) in the Barossa area of South Australia.

Matthes and Christiana and their 7 children eventually settled at Kangaroo Flat near Gawler in SA . 4 more children were born to the couple in Australia . The family history was published by Lutheran Publishing House in 2004 with children B2- B11 (ref Theo Modra) included. Great grandchildren's families are the main contributors to the book and the subject of the most detail of its 366 pages.-includes reunion photos, tours and sites.
Notable reunions of the families occurred in 1908 (Christiana's 90th), 1937 ( August and Johanna's 60th) at the Kangaroo Flat homestead and Tanunda in 2004 .Published accounts of the hardy pioneers reputation for many things , including the reality of "Watermelon Town " were recorded in The Bunyip Newspaper of Gawler in 1937. Many of us today still share the basis for the excitement and enthusiasm that has brought the best out of them over the years .

New premises for cutting

2007-12-21T19:35:00.000-08:00

The northerners will have their work cut out this christmas- in more ways than one . Let's hope they get some time to share in some recreation like this

She's a big girl now

2007-09-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

The scene was dramatic - what else would you expect from the davy babes. The entrance was magnificent and the dancefloor built to bounce and project - and all in their backyard .

April in Angelsea

2007-09-03T15:04:00.000-07:00

What were the things you most enjoyed about celebrating together ?
- sharing
- the personal reflections
-Pastors and Mum's reflections
- getting to know each other again
- having communion together
- the volleyball
- the music
- the reminder of all things good

Agenda for Angelsea

2007-04-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

Everybody - don't forget to bring one page/ picture of YOUR recent WORK/ family to be included as a momento of the day.
Programme

Friday 13th

from 5.00pm Arrive & Settle In
7.30pm A Special Celebration
9.00pm Supper

Saturday14th

8.00am Breakfast
10.30am Morning Tea
11.00am Volleyball Competition
(sign up for a team on the Notice Board)
12.15pm Lunch
2.00pm Gather for Birthday Afternoon Tea
3.00pm Birthday Formalities
3.30pm Recollections & Items for Grandma
6.30pm Tea
8.00pm Concert with Comps
9.00pm Supper

Sunday 15th

` 8.00am Breakfast
10.00am Morning Tea
10.30am Worship Service
12.15pm Lunch
By 5.00pm Clean Up and Head Off

Lovely voice

2007-02-11T17:26:00.000-08:00

Some of us lucky ones got to hear a great CD produced by a very well known beautiful woman ( a least when she's wearing a wig ) . Was very beautiful singing Miss Marilyn and the accompanyment was interesting diverse and very well done .It was so good I played it on radio and people were crying - me at least . Ask Chris ( see limks) for a copy but i am not sure whether he has the production rights ----YET ! Not likely says the star ?????? Unmissable -----get a copy ......right!

Also unmissabale is the quartet singing which max recorded and is now available on CD form me .

Sea voyage with no equal

2007-01-10T02:52:00.000-08:00

Looks like we started something a few years ago when we made that exciting voyage in the leaky boat. Walking to Marengo from the Bay just a few days ago we discovered this rerun of our "out there and back surfing and seal expedition right on the spot beach where worried husband and father filmed his brothers reckless rowing and rescue effort in 2003.click for website

What does Christmas mean?

2006-12-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

Putting up a site specific garden shed yesterday with 2 of our WFD guys- a new project for the carpenters shop that's taken 18 mths to finalise but its now done; its designed lines look good . Building is fun, and we all had a great time. I was surprised by just how much fun it was and so i think were some otherswho didn't sleep the night before.

Doing something together is clearly what we were made for. All our money, our power and influence, or lack of all three is all completely irrelevant --just weakness and dross - when we get together !

And it all can show, oh so clearly, at Christmas time . So what do we do when that scary weakness is exaggerated, not only by being annoyed by your partners bad habits on the way to the big doo, but by meeting face to face to face, as it were, with the same annoying habit in triplicate across the table?; and those oh so predictable family style jokes and that strange chorus of foreign laughter .- i don't get it, and worse still it makes me feel like drinking too much !

So what do we do to prepare ourselves for the inevitable, as we try our very best to be nice- our very smiles about to crack, like the drying icing on that lovely white faced cake; The risk of a fight , or harsh words that may seem to destroy the very fabric of our "good time together" .

Here is what we can all do ! We can be remind ourselves of our weakness and His strength. Not only that , we can do it in the face of our very real fear that everything could blow up in our faces at these gatherings;

This little boy grew up to become the great gift that takes all the hurts and dumps we make on others and brings us together inspite of them . He knows the cost of those deep cuts that could kill-the depth of our weakness. God has done something we could never do, and he's done it to help us enjoy this time .

We can look forward to this time with hope because we can literally see beyond the biggest hurdles- the biggest barney. He 's done it to help us with our deepest need - to be together - to be reconciled to each other .

wabbitkicking anyone?

2006-07-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

By the way its very dry ,the few crops in Northern Victoria are on there last legs and unfortunately the wabbits still have their legs.( not for lack of trying to catch them by modee- perhaps next time- bring a spotlight as well ) More pictures click here. wimmera , max's birthday, closeups, new inventions

Reliving History

2006-07-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

Max telling us how Louis kept icecreams at his second shop using the pub generator next door .Wow what a packed and great weekend .We will have to do again for longer next time . So busy looking around old house site we didn't hav time for a game of tennis on the old court out back. What didn't they have out there? - een the youngest was busy at the " rubbishtip" area finding some treasure like an old harmonica.danny took home old rusty metal as of corse did I .
Those of you who came last time had a rushed view too. But this time, with more time there we still would like to spend a bit more time at both sites . we did'nt try for the cod but we went yabbying and found out how to set rabbit traps and deal with bird vermin.

Don't forget the fishing rod!

2006-06-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

These murray cod were pictured on 2 June in the Colac Herald

Millewa visit July 2006

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Max is booking site for July 7th , 8th and 9th. Same lake as before Contact ASAP

Mums Massage!!

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help the oldies relax "aaaaaaar!!"using glass octopus wow

2006-03-28T17:32:00.000-08:00

One of hundreds who rushed through the redplanet at Awakening festival in Colac

2006-03-28T17:28:00.000-08:00

kenny entertained us with piano guitar at home and fun with awakening in the park . met up with a young Mr polkinghorne too great times

Daniel is no longer the youngest Cousin

2006-02-04T01:44:00.000-08:00

Cindy and Chris are pleased to announce the safe arrival of SAMUEL CHRISTOPHER at 5:12 pm on the 31st January. 7lbs 4 oz, 52 cm.

I am not worried about SHARKS!!!

2006-01-22T02:52:00.000-08:00

The young sailors asked about sharks as we saw the stringrays hover as they do underneath the boat . No worries i said . We ploughed the harbour and thought about heading out to sea like Matt,Casmir and 4 of us did a few days before . I the showoff was keen to show how just i could surf my little boat in on the waves - after all last time an attractive young englishwoman tourist rushed to get my photograph after we did it days before . She was previuosly absorbed with ( presumably some other bloke )on a hanglider landing in the same area . I am a popular and courageous sailor . You want photos to prove we did this . Adsk mark he and ellen hav ethe definitive Sailing the high seas adventure on Video > I captaon have No time for records - too busy fighting the dangerous waves- on the wave in .....wooosh what fun as the boat roars forward and fills upwith surf at the same time and on the way out - up she rises!!!!!will we make it YES
That was 2 days ago. Back to today. We saw the stingray and the seals and my ignorance of the danger from SHARKS seemed to be enough to calm them . It was only after we got back to Colac we saw them in the paper 8 foot of mako SHARK -only one of many caught those few days !!
Beat that you thistle islanders beat that !
when it comes to risk then you see us M's , We're tough and courageous ..and ,, justa little unaware sometimes

2006-01-22T02:45:00.000-08:00

Cousins catch upat Apollo bay . Another adventure on the high seas with Matt Daniel and Julian on open sea and surfing home( no photos - ask Mark for feature length version of last time

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Had a great time geeting together with the cousins we seldom see .

2005-12-18T01:57:00.000-08:00

Now some of you won't know what this is- Its Gold redgold to be !The first berry ripened on November 18th as Lou told us to look for them then . Since then each berry has been snatched away from the birds by a early rising Adrienne, till 10lbs of fruit was converted for certain royal honouraries selves to appreciate , sometime soon . If you want some you have to go to her place and beg !

Humble origins of the Waldauf salad

2005-08-24T21:36:00.000-07:00

The beautiful wendish salad using apple cucumber vinegar is ,according to research I did some years ago, immortalized in the US Hotel which became famous for serving it ( the chef came from central europe, the nuts i am not sure) and the edition of Faulty Towers which highlighted some English ignorance of some very good things - what good can come from werben eh? I have asked mum to put the recipe up here .

Family get together ; Millewa/Murray middle of next year -06

2005-08-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like its on. Hope Tim and family don't mind if we ALL tag along.
Margaret and Susan already onto some pip spitting competitions and
john is working booking a few sites for a 5 min episode of "we sell everything ere ".
email me for invite to blog here !
The date ? when does it suit you ?

Doesn't look too apertizing on the net . tell us how it tastes

2005-06-20T02:17:00.000-07:00

Look what you blokes missed out on . Apple and cucumber w onion .

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Is it as funny as it looks?. David , where is the audio?

For the ladies only

2005-04-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

Ever met a few grumpy old german men? by the name of Modra?

After seeing that great recent film on Luther recently , I picked up a piece of fiction( unusual for me )and read it right through ( v unusual)
"Kitty my rib" was what Luther called his wife

But don't be fooled into thinking their romance was all roses. For those struggling with workacholic, uncommunicative and grumpy old men ? here's a little offering to hopefully keep you going- for a little while at least !

.(Author E Jane Mall Concordia publishers)

The book is out

2005-04-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

yes excellent work team More yet to come bookmark this site ! For those who would like to send in their news/questions send an email to mreforce@telstra.com. asking to be registered. Our website ( keep identity a little hidden as its a public site is)
http://askmodra.blogspot.com