The Apia Observatory , at Mulinu ’ u ( shown at left ), was built by Fritz Stünzner , as a replacement for more basic accommodation which had been in existence since the founding of the observatory in 1902 by scientist Otto Tetens on behalf of the Royal Society of Sciences of Göttingen , in Germany . The Stünzner building stands on concrete piles about a metre high and appears to have a concrete , or concrete render , lower floor with weatherboard above .
In 1914 it was taken over by the New Zealand Government and continued to be operated by the former director under the German Administration , Dr Gustav Angenheister , until 1921 . Dr Angenheister ( shown below in June 1913 ) appears to have been the only senior German civil servant retained in employment by the occupying New Zealanders . In later years he was a professor at the Technical University of Berlin and then Director at the Institute of Geophysics at Göttingen . The Stünzner-built observatory was used for observations of terrestrial magnetism , seismology and meteorology ( not astronomy ). It reportedly burned down in later years .
Traub Collection
Franz Pfeil Collection ( cropped )
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