Germans etched in our history

Back to the past: The site of a former German submarine base in Penang

THE German community’s history in Penang has been recognised with the launch of the German Heritage Trail,

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said German companies like Osram, B. Braun and Robert Bosch had continued in the tradition of their forefathers to enrich the state.

“German technology is the best in the world but the community is also very important to us historically,” he said.

“We thank our German friends for contributing to our heritage over the last two centuries,” he said during the launch of the trail.

Before World War One, the German-speaking community arguably formed the second largest European trading community in Penang after the British.

Their presence was further reinforced when the famous German international shipping line ‘Norddeutscher Lloyd’ started to make regular stops in Penang, linking German seaports to the state in the late 19th century.

German entrepreneurs, photographers, missionaries and writers started to come to Penang looking for new experiences.

One of them was August Huttenbach who established a German company in Penang specialising in technological modernisation.

Another was Henry Alfred Neubronner who designed many iconic buildings in the state including the Bank of the Netherlands Trading Society, the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation and Kapitan Keling Mosque.

Felix Henri Gottlieb was a distinguished lawyer serving in the Straits Settlements government and his name has been remembered for good in Jalan Gottlieb.

Companies like the Katz Brothers, a major importer of European fine products, and Behn Meyer & Co, continue to operate in the state and are testimony that Penang has been a favoured place of trading and investment among the Germans since the early days.

Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) manager Ho Sheau Fung said the heritage trail was part of its effort to showcase the importance of Penang’s ties with Germany.

“The PHT, with sponsorship from the German Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, developed the trail with the aim to promote Penang tourism with a German touch.

“It will highlight more than 10 sites in George Town with a number of signboards,” she said.

Each signboard documents the German heritage of the site in Bahasa Malaysia, English and German.

Lim and German ambassador to Malaysia Dr Guenter Gruber launched the trail last week at the Whiteaways Arcade in Beach Street.

Free brochures in English and German have been printed for the trail. For details, call 04-2642631 (PHT).