The following history pertains to the Wiedemann family, which set out for the New World in the mid-1800's. It was written by José Antonio Hedderich Arismendi of Caracas, and translated two decades later by his niece, Sydney Hedderich of Toronto, with some syntax help from her friend, Mark Swirsky of Philadelphia.

The translation appeared in the August 2000 wedding magazine created by Wulf-Dietrich Heineke for newlyweds, Esther (Zigmond) and Jan-Hinrich Heineke, the Heineke's being relatives of the Wiedemann family.

Passenger Clipper Ship (c. 1850's)

Since no official records of the Wiedemann family departure exist in Hamburg's Historic Emigration Office (which maintains passenger data from 1850 to 1934), two possibilities exist. Either oral history has been contradicted, and the Wiedemann family actually left from the Port of Bremen (whose archives were set on fire by the Nazis near the end of the Second World War). Or, the family departed from either Hamburg or Bremen on a smaller clipper ship from that era, as noted in the image above. Unlike the larger ships, smaller ships sailing out of Gemany were under no obligation to supply passenger lists for emigration records.

Here then is the last updated acccount (c. 1980) of my uncle, José Antonio Hedderich.

SH

Voyage to the New World

"IN attempting to deepen our understanding of the Venezuelan General, Isidoro Wiedemann, of whom we know little, other than some of his military deeds and perhaps one or other episode of his almost picturesque life, we have re-read the family documents in our archive, finding important facts which bring into focus this individual, who is now a part of our history.

This endeavour has benefited from the help or very important guidance received from Germany, as contained in the correspondence from Professor Otto Heineke, nephew of Wiedemann, as is the author of these notes.

Professor Heineke (24.10.1893 - 6.7.1980) studied History of Art, Philosophy and Anthropology at universities in Germany and Greece, enriching his knowledge with interesting, as well as appealing and solid activities in the fields of music and poetry. His works were mentioned frequently in both the press and other widely-circulating journals. A few years before his death, he occupied the chief position in the Department of Conservation or Ecology of his beautiful district of Immensen, in Hannover. In 1966, the author and his wife had the honour of personally knowing the Heineke family, and were highly impressed by his hospitality, as by the value he gave to his well-stocked library, and to the documents and photographs, which were related to his labours as historian and investigator. Many of these well-preserved photographs were from the studio of LESSMAN, which operated in Caracas at the turn of the last century (nineteenth). The photographs (and records) of General Wiedemann, as well as other members of his family, are carefully collected, along with diverse letters and descriptive explanations of their lives from that period. Seen today, these collections reflect Professor Heineke's interest in everything from the past.

As can be noted, these observations are not significant for their originality - history is always the repetition of what has been written by others. But there is always something "new" among the papers of "old", which helps and corrects or sheds light on documents or historic positions which, in turn, forces change in much of what was earlier known as certain or definitive.

Let us begin, therefore, to fix the dates and the names that link up with the WIEDEMANN family and their voyage from Germany to Venezuela.

And thus begins the history:

Back in Germany (Mödesse, in the District of Peine, province of the ancient reign of Hannover), CARL FRIEDRICH WILHELM ISIDOR WIEDEMANN (WEHLING) is born on the 15 of August 1841. These names and surnames will be henceforth simplified as ISIDORO WIEDEMANN, and destiny will develop his character, not in his Germany, but far from his native place, where from adolescence in Venezuela - a country of strange language and customs - he would develop his innate capabilities which would take him so far as to convert him, over the course of many years, into General Isidoro Wiedemann.

His baptism took place the month following his birth in the nearby Evangelical Lutheran church. His parents were Carl Wilhelm Wiedemann and Catherine Dorothea Wehling, both from Peine, Hannover. (The chronicles or comments from the period spoke of their wedding (1840) as a notable social event, highlighting the exceptional beauty of the bride, and mentioning that a song was composed in celebration and honour of the couple, as was the fashion then among Germans.)

The Wiedemann family, which had good financial resources, were owners of both a farm which they called "Mödesse", and a beautiful two-storey house of stunning architecture, which is still preserved today and remembered as "Dreikönighause" (House of Three Kings), located in Peine.

As agriculture was the most important form, or way of life in the region, the Wiedemann family was thus involved, as were their neighbours, the Wehling family, also from the same district of Mödesse. While in the first years the work in the field yielded sufficient produce, the onset of competitive forces cut into the hoped-for benefits. This prompted the need to seek better fortune in another region, and so the family, which already had four children, decided to sell their property in Peine, the "House of Three Kings", and their farm in Mödesse to acquire another, more distant farm in the district of Holstein.

This new property, though very beautiful with good agricultural prospects, did not however, yield the financial results which the Wiedemann family expected, and this forced them to take the risky decision to emigrate.

As one can appreciate, emigration signifies danger, insecurity and no certainty of success, but also expresses the hope of a better future. As it seems that their environment was becoming ever more narrow, the risk became more worthy than the reliance on passive and anxiety-ridden immobility. Emigrate! This transcendental passage in the life of the Wiedemann family was not the consequence of a religious or political motive, so common in many other cases or historic situations, but rather was due to the simple need to procure a radical change which could bring, as a consequence of gained experience and knowledge, more provenance than what could be obtained in that difficult struggle of theirs in their native land.

Emigrate, emigrate is the obsession, but where? In the interchange of ideas, which were anxiety-ridden enough, South America would be the decided-upon destination. There, the field was ample as was the hope, which when combined with youthful excitement, solidified their choice.

Already there was news from South America in letters written by people who had faced the same fortune, and who spoke of the adventure and misadventures they had experienced in those distant countries of Venezuela and Brazil. That chronicle by post produced both enthusiasm and wonder over the descriptions of the countryside, the climate with no incidence of winter but rather, a static, spring-like season, adding to a picturesque native population with bronzed skin, and a tropical sun in this new and far-away land, so full of illusionary perspectives.

The newsy letters first received by friends and relatives in neighbouring cities were the result of that first emigration organized in 1843 toward the Colonia Tovar (Venezuela), and subsequently of those emigrations from 1851 on, which were coordinated from Hamburg by the Venezuelan Consul, Luis Glocker, and from Caracas by the Marxen and Eraso agency, both parties serving as intermediaries for the placement of immigrants in agricultural farms, not always so attractive.

Newspapers sporadically mentioned the environmental difficulties, some causing anxieties due to the notices of frequent revolutions, as well as the decimation of populations, resulting from epidemics, such as yellow fever and cholera, the last one having surfaced in Venezuela in 1856.

And so the Wiedemann family wished to embrace fortune and not wait any longer. Between the decisive years of 1856 and 1857, there was some doubt as to which country would be selected for the adventure. Brazil? Venezuela? Brazil, like Venezuela, provided the same prospects of settlement and possible fortune, but would the revolutionary disturbances and plagues that in Venezuela were the subject of frequent commentary in letters or newspapers, make Brazil a more acceptable destination? Probably it was an empire like that of Peter II (1875-1889), and as a kingdom, shared similarities with German custom. It offered governmental support and so many favourable conditions, such as stability, that in reflecting upon the risk, Brazil became the target in this life or death game of chance.

Therefore, without any more thought, the Wiedemann family abandoned their beloved Germany and surrendered themselves to adventure. This one started from Hamburg, port of exit, where the ship which would take them to Brazil had already left, and the next one to leave would be to Venezuela. Wait months? Return and then go back? That would mean a loss of time, and so departure was the solution, departure to Venezuela. In between the possible anguish and perhaps the memory of letters mentioning Venezuela, this family experienced hours of uncertainty.

Venezuela, then, would be the destination. Already Brazil was left behind as a memory and the card in this game, held fast by the game player, signaled a change in direction.

Why talk further of the known or presumed anxieties of the trip? It was preferable to ignore them.

They left the misty port of Hamburg and all their memories behind to reach the clearer light of hope.

And that is how the Wiedemann family departed for Caracas.

Neither political nor religious motives caused this transcendental wish, as happened to others over the years or in different periods of history; it was only a matter of change, to improve, to find. It would almost seem as though their environment was closing in on them, and it was worthier to seek the way which they were not sure they would find, than to stay in the passive or anxiety-ridden immobility which surrounded them.

Emigration, as you'll see, signifies danger, insecurity and no promise of success, and nevertheless, one thinks or dreams of it as the player who plays his last card, supported only by chance.

The Wiedemann passengers (the complete family) were composed of the following persons: Father, Carl Wilhelm (Carlos Guillermo) Wiedemann; his wife, Catarine Dorothea (Catalina Dorotea), née Wehling; and their 4 children: Isidor (Isidoro), Anne (Ana), Theresa (Teresa) and Ernestine (Ernestina).

As mentioned, they boarded ship in Hamburg, leaving for the port of La Guaira in Venezuela.

Their date of departure was in 1857. At that time, the oldest child, Isidoro, was 16 years of age, having been born in 1841. He was followed by Ana who was 14 years old, and Teresa and Ernestina, who were somewhere between the ages of 13 and 12, respectively.

It was indeed an adventure that they resolutely clung to, preferring to forget the burden of anxiety and fear, and being linked by a faith which would guide them on the high seas, towards the distance, towards the future of the strange land which was their only hope of a new life.

Little is known and few references exist regarding their arrival in Venezuela, other than the facts provided by those who operated from Hamburg, such as the consular intermediaries who arranged their departure for Venezuela and their encounter with destiny. We can assume that as land owners, their first moments and their settlement, would take place in those farms which offered placement or useful employment in exchange for agricultural skills.

After many years, we then see mention of General Isidoro Wiedemann's new character, among his military and political rankings, and among the anecdotes of his adventurous life, which at times, he would remember and tell. There is, for example, the incident which prompted him to ask General Antonio Guzmán Blanco, President of the Republic (1870-77), to give him the opportunity to enlist in the army, after being a victim of a military incursion on the farm where he worked, and where, in the name of so many political disturbances of the period, he was robbed of the horses and mules, which were under his care. And it was on that occasion, when his petition was granted, that his real military career would begin."

José Antonio Hedderich Arismendi
(7.5.1906 - 15.11.1988)

General Isidoro Wiedemann and some of his medals
(personal copy of J.A.H.)

General Isidoro Wiedemann and some of his medals, among which shines with deserved pride, the medal of the bust of the Liberator (Simón Bolívar). Year 1885. (personal copy of J.A.H.)

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© 2000 Sydney Hedderich
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