Hermann Robert Homburg (17 March 1874 – 12 December 1964) was a

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

n politician and lawyer.

Early life

Homburg was born in Norwood and educated at

Prince Alfred College , motto_translation = Do Brave Deeds and Endure , established = 1869 , type = Independent, single-sex, day & boarding , headmaster = David Roberts , chaplain = Reverend ...

and the

University of Adelaide The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...

. Following his admission to the bar in 1897, he practised law at his father's legal firm, Homburg & Melrose. Homburg's

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

-born father,

Robert Homburg Robert Homburg (10 March 1848 – 23 March 1912) was a politician and judge in colonial South Australia. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly from 1884 to 1905, representing the electorates of Gumeracha (1884-1902) and Murra ...

, was also a prominent South Australian politician and lawyer. Robert Homburg had served as

Attorney-General of South Australia The attorney-general of South Australia is the Cabinet minister in the Government of South Australia who is responsible for that state's system of law and justice. The attorney-general must be a qualified legal practitioner, although this wa ...

on three separate occasions, and also, later, as a justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia, the first non-

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

migrant to be appointed to such a position in Australia. Homburg supported participation in sport more than watching it. He was member and captain of the Glen Osmond Cricket Club and chairman of the North Adelaide Cycling Club.

Before World War I

Representing his father's former electorate, Hermann Homburg served as a non- Labor Party member for

Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust * D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian who ...

in the

House of Assembly House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level. Historically, in British Crown colonies as the colony gained more internal responsible gove ...

from 1906 to 1915. He became Attorney-General under Premier Archibald Peake in 1909 and also Minister for Industry from 1912 to 1915. The outbreak of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

in 1914 resulted in widespread distrust and persecution of German-Australians. In 1914, while he was Attorney-General, Homburg's government office in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

was raided by soldiers with fixed bayonets. He soon fell victim to anti-

sentiment and resigned in early 1915 to avoid embarrassing the government in the forthcoming election. Homburg wrote of a "campaign of lies and calumnies against me... because I am not of British lineage."

Between the wars

In 1927, Homburg successfully contested Murray again and returned to parliament. He served as Attorney-General and Minister for Industry in the R. L. Butler ministry from 1927 until losing his seat in 1930. From 1933 to 1941 he was a member of the Legislative Council. He was also a leader of Adelaide's secular German community during the interwar period. Despite his many years of public service, Homburg's loyalties were once again questioned following the advent of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. His home and private office were searched and he was interned on 25 November 1940 but released after appeal on 21 December, under open conditional arrest, one condition being that he moved interstate. In January 1941 he relocated to

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

and then moved to Ballarat whereupon he retired from parliament. The judges at Homburg's appeal concluded, "it is obvious that one or more of the persons reporting may have a grudge against the objector Homburg and under pledge of secrecy be willing to lie to cause him distress and trouble."

After politics

Homburg returned to Adelaide in 1942 and continued to practice as a solicitor until his death in 1964. He wrote about his experiences during both wars in ''South Australian Lutherans and War-Time Rumours'' (1947).

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Homburg, Hermann 1874 births 1964 deaths Australian people of German descent People educated at Prince Alfred College Politicians from Adelaide Lawyers from Adelaide Members of the South Australian House of Assembly Members of the South Australian Legislative Council Liberal and Country League politicians Attorneys-General of South Australia Adelaide Law School alumni