A scoop for a farmer in Western Australia

@JudyEv (344095)
Rockingham, Australia
March 9, 2023 6:30pm CST
This is the sort of ‘stuff’ I find fascinating about museums but you miss a lot if you don’t stop to read the notices and just walk on by. This motorcycle is a 1938 DKW. DKW seems to have been given a number of meanings; Dampf-Kraft-Wagen: "steam-powered car", Deutsche Kinder-Wagen: "German children's car", Das-Kleine-Wunder: "the little wonder" or Des-Knaben-Wunsch: "the boy's wish". The last few came about when the company produced toy two-stroke engines. NZ is the model number and the bike is a 250cc. These were regarded as a sports bike with excellent performance and braking. What is interesting is that a German freighter was tied up in Fremantle, Western Australia when war broke out and the ship and its cargo was impounded. In 1940, the cargo was sold and a Katanning farmer with German heritage bought three of the bikes. Many years later, an enthusiast bought them for restoration and donated one to the museum. I’ve never thought about ships being impounded during the war but I guess it happened all over the place. The photo is Vince’s taken at my request. My camera battery decided to flatten itself as soon as I got in the door.
16 people like this
15 responses
M Cheung
@Beestring (14812)
• Hong Kong
10 Mar 23
That's a cool bike. Wonder if it still works now.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
Yes, it is still operational.
4 people like this
M Cheung
@Beestring (14812)
• Hong Kong
10 Mar 23
@JudyEv Amazing.
2 people like this
Ptrikha_2
@ptrikha_2 (47202)
• India
12 Mar 23
@JudyEv Still operational!! That is wonderful and shows how well made was it!
1 person likes this
James Higgins
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
10 Mar 23
That is quite a bike. I have a friend or two who would drool. Interesting about the impoundment. Russian Oligarchs are having yachts impounded these days.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
I've just reread a book about the Vienna Boys Choir, or at least part of it, getting stuck in Australia too at the start of WWII. It's hard to get any information about it. The book is fiction but based on fact.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 23
@JamesHxstatic I vaguely remember something about that.
1 person likes this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (113148)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Mar 23
Yeah, I suppose there were plenty of situations where a boat was in the wrong place at the right time back in those days.
2 people like this
rebelann1949
@rebelann (113148)
• El Paso, Texas
10 Mar 23
Wow, they must have been so terrified, I wonder if their parents traveled with them back then.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
Members of the Vienna Boys Choir were stuck in Australia too during WWII. I want to write about it later but it's hard getting information.
2 people like this
Four Walls
@FourWalls (70282)
• United States
10 Mar 23
Wow, what a relic! And yes, the grinding halt of commerce is one of the countless casualties of war.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
So many people would have had all their plans come unstuck - just like the Ukrainians, Turks and others today.
1 person likes this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (110078)
• Marion, Ohio
10 Mar 23
Love that bike. It would be fun to have
2 people like this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (110078)
• Marion, Ohio
10 Mar 23
@JudyEv I am sure they did
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
If the farmer had three of them, and maybe a couple of sons, wouldn't they have had some fun?
1 person likes this
Faye
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
10 Mar 23
Wow that's pretty cool, I would like something like that
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
I bet the farmer was pleased to get these motor-bikes although I don't know what he paid for them.
1 person likes this
Ptrikha_2
@ptrikha_2 (47202)
• India
12 Mar 23
A lot of interesting things. Would it be possible for you to share the impounded ship's photograph as well? I hope now your camera is well charged and ready. Have a nice Sunday!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Mar 23
I don't know the name of the ship so have no way of searching for it.
1 person likes this
OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (90732)
• Arvada, Colorado
10 Mar 23
Now there is a luscious bike I say! I am partial to the motors and bikes you know Judy..I love the history and stories around them. My first husband and I used to buy and sell motors and bikes and he was so knowledgeable about them all. If not for him, I wouldn't know any of them. I had not heard of this one..fascinating. It looks rather big for only a 250cc.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
I don't know much about them either but the story behind it intrigued me. I'm sure you would have picked up a lot of knowledge about them.
1 person likes this
Judy Story
@jstory07 (141094)
• Roseburg, Oregon
10 Mar 23
The motorcycle looks really nice.
1 person likes this
Judy Story
@jstory07 (141094)
• Roseburg, Oregon
10 Mar 23
@JudyEv Yes it is.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
It's certainly a fine-looking bike.
1 person likes this
DW Davis
@DWDavis (25805)
• United States
10 Mar 23
That is a very nice-looking bike. I am curious about what looks like mud on the front tire.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
I can't imagine what it would be. I've blown the photo up but that doesn't help.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (472409)
• Switzerland
10 Mar 23
That one looks so much like the one my grandfather had. I have never been interested in cars and motorcycle, but I seriously doubt that he bought a German one, knowing him I suppose it was an Italian brand.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (472409)
• Switzerland
10 Mar 23
@JudyEv - My grandfather was so angry against the Germans. I am surprised that we survived during WWII, surely he did not hesitate to tell them what he thought.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 23
@LadyDuck One of Vince's aunts refused to travel in their new Volkswagen because it was German-made.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
This would have been a windfall for the farmer as they were very highly regarded bikes. I doubt he would have cared where they came from.
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (318504)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 Mar 23
It's a beautiful bike with an interesting history.
1 person likes this
Valerie J. Routhieaux
@just4him (318504)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
13 Mar 23
@JudyEv I'm sure they do.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 23
Some of the vehicles there have very interesting pasts.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19717)
• London, England
10 Mar 23
Wonder what happened to the other two? Still, good to see one has been saved.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Mar 23
The one man restored the three bikes and donated one. He has kept the other two.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (19717)
• London, England
10 Mar 23
@JudyEv Good stuff!
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (183858)
• United States
13 Mar 23
Interesting back-story and great photo.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Mar 23
Thanks. I was pretty amazed with this story.
ShannyBananny
@shaggin (73295)
• United States
10 Mar 23
That is interesting about the freighter getting impounded. Sad for the people who made things they were on it and never got compensated for their items.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (344095)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Mar 23
Who knows what else was on the ship that never made it to its destination.
1 person likes this