Film belonging to Oskar Speck
Subject or historical figure
Oskar Speck
(1907 - 1993)
Date1930s
Object number00055871
NameFilm
MediumCellulose acetate reel of film
Dimensions50 x 140 mm (5.5 in)
ClassificationsAudio visual material
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from John Ferguson
DescriptionThis film canister belonged to Oskar Speck and contains film footage of his voyage by kayak from Germany to Australia in the 1930s.
This is part of film 00040167.HistoryOskar Speck (1905 - 1995) was a German adventurer who, in the 1930s, paddled his kayak SUNNSCHIEN (SUNSHINE) from Europe to Australia. He departed from Ulm in Germany on 18 June 1932, paddling down the Danube at the start of a 50,000km voyage to Australia.
His voyage of seven years and four months saw him stopping at ports in Germany, Austria, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, former Macedonia, Greece, Cyprus, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran Jaya, Papua New Guinea and Australia (Saibai Island). He arrived on Saibai Island near Papua New Guinea in the Northern Torres Strait on 20 September 1939. Speck arrived with a swastika on the bow of his 5.3 metre German built Folbot kayak a few days after Australia declared war with Germany.
Speck was travelling on a German passport and was promptly arrested as an enemy alien on his arrival on Thursday Island. Speck was detained at the Tatura and Loveday internment camps for the duration of the war.SignificanceThis collection documents a significant feat of sportsmanship as well as a 1930s travel-adventure and what became a World War II internment and migration story by Oscar Speck.
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