Frederick William Basedow, born Emil Friedrich Wilhelm Basedow (22 March 1867 – 23 October 1939), was an Evangelical Lutheran minister in Adelaide, South Australia.

History

Basedow was born in Tanunda, South Australia, to Johannes Christoph Basedow and Anna Louise Basedow, née Rischiek or Rieschiek. He was a cousin of Dr Herbert Basedow, explorer and geologist.

As a young man he was inclined to a life of service to the church, and was accepted for training in Basle, Switzerland. After six years there he was ordained in Württemberg then served as a missionary to Kamerun (now Cameroon), for ten years, after which he returned to Australia, working in Murtoa, Victoria. Then he received a call to St Stephani Church in Adelaide, which he accepted.

In 1906 he succeeded Ernst Johann Eitel as pastor of the newly erected St Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Wakefield street, where he served until his retirement in 1937. In 1914, at a time of great hostility in Australia to Germany, his church, which belonged to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Australia, asserted its allegiance to the Britain and loyalty to the federation of Australia, in contradistinction to other Lutheran denominations. Prior to Federation, asserted Basedow, South Australia could afford to be cosmopolitan, but federation demanded unity of all Australians under the Crown and denial of other allegiances.

He died at his residence, 248 Young Street, North Unley, aged 73. His remains were buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.

Family

Basedow married (Helen) Sophie Hiller (c. 1871 – 23 February 1935). Sophie was a daughter of Rev. C. G. Hiller.

  • Elsa Anna Basedow (1906–1961) married Rev. Samuel Oswald Gross on 5 April 1932. Gross, of Horsham, Victoria, was a missionary in Central Australia.
  • Dr Karl Johannes Basedow (1913–2004) married Hilda Hanna Rohde on 11 September 1946. She was daughter of Rev. Edwin Rohde (1890–1952) of St Paul's Church, Freeling; he was resident physician of Blyth Hospital.

Notes