Pieter Johann Dietrichsen was the stamvader of the Dietrichsen/Dietrechsen family in South Africa. He was born in Denmark c.1800 and arrived in South Africa c.1820. According to oral family tradition, he washed up ashore on a float (some say floating debris, others say he washed up "astride a wine barrel") following a shipwreck near the coast. Some even claim that he was the ship's captain.
Seafaring records from that period reveal that many Dietrichsens served on ships in the wider area around the borders of Denmark and Germany, further supporting the family legend.
What is known, is that he married a Dutch woman and raised a family -- presumably, he already knew or quickly acquired a command of Dutch. It appears as if he may well have been part of the Great Trek, hence his acquisition of a farm near Heidelberg in the ZAR (today: Gauteng), where he stayed until his death. His death notice also states that he was born in Denmark, something which is supported by his nickname "oupa Deen".
The only access I have to Danish/German sources is through free internet sites. I read German comfortably and have already acquired a fair reading knowledge of Danish. However, the following remain a mystery:
1. I could not find any information on where he came ashore.
2. None of the recorded shipwrecks around 1820 list the name Dietrichsen at all.
3. None of the Danish or German lists of ships contain his name as skipper.
4. None of the Danish or German emigration lists reflect his name.
5. None of the Danish or German birth or baptism records contain his name around 1800.
Judging from what I could find (or rather, from what I could NOT find), it is almost as if Peter Johann Dietrichsen materialised in South Africa out of thin air. Has anyone ever come across any confirmed data at all? What I am particularly looking for is his direct ancestry (i.e. parents).
His profile is here: Peter Johann Dietrichsen, SV/Prog
Herman Booysen
