Frantz Robert Gruszning (1865 - 1915)

Born 1865 in Memel, East Prussia, Prussia

Died 18 Dec 1915 at about age 50 in Wanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand

Biography

Research Notes

Frantz Robert Gruszning was born in Memel, Prussia (now Klaipedia, Lithuania) to Julius and Henrietta Wallansbus (possible variant is Valankas) abt 1865/1866. From family stories it is believed Frantz left Prussia with a brother to avoid conscription into the Prussian Army, his brother is supposed to have gone to America while Frantz came to New Zealand. I have not been able to find a record of Frantz on any shipping lists apart from this one, however he was a cook by trade and could have worked his way to New Zealand on a ship. Frantz's naturalisation certificate provides that he was 28 years old when naturalised and had been in New Zealand for 10 years at that stage (July 1894). Again from a family story Frantz allegedly first landed in Wanganui. He then moved to Auckland where he met and married Sofia (Sophia) Dufty on 1 July 1887 at age 21. They had three children, 2 boys - Harold Arthur and Francis Robert (aka Frank), and 1 girl - Edith. Frantz died in Wanganui about 18 December 1915, he is buried in Aramoho Cemetery in Wanganui. Sophia remarried to a Cliffe and she died sometime in the 1930's, closer to 1940 it is believed. There does not appear to have been much contact between Frantz and his family back in Prussia, apart from one letter that is known of that arrived from Eastern Europe written in Russian Cyrilic script, this letter was destroyed due apparently to the "Cold War". Another letter we are aware of was written in 1968 by a german man living in New Zealand who had returned to visit his brother in East Berlin and when there a neighbour asked for a favour. The neighbour's name was Kurt Gruschning and he had a family member with the surname Grussning or Gruschning in Auckland, New Zealand. It appears no-one in my family replied to this letter and by the time it reached the possession of those interested in researching the family tree there has not been any trace of a Gruschning in Germany that we have been able to find. When the SS Wairarapa was wrecked Frantz was returning from Australia, where he had worked as a chef/cook at a reception for royalty (this from a family member). His recount was that the ship was moving slowly in thick fog and hit rocks, he was able to walk off the ship onto these rocks. He said that the local Maori helped considerably with sheltering the survivors. He had little else to say about the tragedy. If you have a connection with this family or would like to know more please contact Kylie Grusning.

Sources

• "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (http://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz).
  • Death Registration / 1916/106 / Name: Gruszning , Frantz Robert / 49Y