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What Became of Members of the Stünzner Family ?
Alfred Schultz Album , Kronfeld Parr Collection
Mary Ellen Stünzner and Fritz Stünzner settled in Eckernforde , a coastal town in the north , after their return to Germany in 1939 . Mary Ellen died after contracting influenza in November 1941 . She is buried at Dortmund .
Friedrich ‘ Fritz ’ Wilhelm Oskar Heinrich Stünzner , the creator of some of Samoa ’ s most iconic buildings , died in Eckernforde in February 1948 . He is also buried at Dortmund .
Fritz wrote a letter to his son Fritz Jnr and daughter-inlaw , Sylvia , in Auckland in 1947 . The letter has not survived but Fritz Jnr ’ s reply has . From this we infer that his father wrote the words : “ I long sometimes to walk under palm trees .” His son wrote back to him : “ I too long sometimes to walk under palm trees .”
Hufnagel-Betham Family Collection
Stünzner Family Collection Stünzner Family Collection Stünzner Family Collection Spemann Family Collection Alfred Schultz Album , Kronfeld Parr Collection
Ilse ( m . Bietzker ), Hedwig ‘ Hetty ’ ( m . Köster ) and Mathilde ( m . Fröhling / Nolten ) remained in Germany when the rest of the family returned to Samoa in 1925 . They married and had families . Their descendants keep in touch with Stünzner cousins in the South Pacific .
Kurt returned to Samoa in 1946 to wife Lily ( nee Jamieson ) and his five children . The plantation at Tapatapao had been lost . After struggling to find work initially Kurt settled into a career in the public health and agricultural sectors .
Fritz Jr was barred from returning to Samoa at the end of his internment in 1945 . His wife Sylvia ( nee Syddall ) and daughter , Marina , joined him in New Zealand where he spent the rest of his life .
Albrecht travelled to Germany in 1930 where he studied engineering and had a successful career as an engineering company executive . He married Anneliese Müller . Albi survived service in the German Army during the war .
Trude returned to Germany in 1938 . She married Mr Hans Braune in 1941 and had two sons . Hans was killed near Erfurt in April 1945 on one of the last days of the war . Trude married Hans ’ brother Erich , in 1956 .
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