Karl Ernst Eschenhagen
24 May 1850 — 18 March 1906
Karl Ernst Eschenhagen (9‑15‑5)
Karl Ernst Eschenhagen was born on 24 May 1850 at Crossen‑Oder, Lower Silesia in Prussia (now Poland) and died on 18 March 1906. His wife, Pauline Emma née Stegemann was born on 26 December 1869 and died on 4 July 1921. They lost a daughter, Agnes Pauline, in January 1899 aged 11 years. Before coming to Brisbane, Ernst spent some time in Fiji.
He was a leader in St Andreas Congregation for many years and operated a renowned and fashionable Café Eschenhagen in Brisbane which was under the personal patronage of every Governor from 1889—1914 and catered for many Government House functions. Their first shop was in George St near Herschell St and later had to move to larger premises in Queen St which could seat 480 people. Branches were opened elsewhere.
In 1895 Ernst wanted a German day school at St Andreas, where English‑speaking children were also admitted, which would be under the direction of a teacher who was fluent in both languages. He met his wife at St. Andreas and they married in 1886 producing six children.
Anti‑German feeling during WWI forced the business, which had been carried on by Mrs Eschenhagen, to be sold in November 1915.
One of their sons, Oskar Wilhelm Eschenhagen (1889—1969), who changed his name to Oscar Edwards during WWI, operated a successful transport business in Sydney but is better remembered, with his wife, as being art collectors. In the early 1950s they met Picasso and Matisse. He was an accomplished artist himself and gave works to galleries, which included the Queensland Art Gallery.