Headstone of Johann Zwar        in the Ebenezer Lutheran Church Cemetery

Photo courtesy of Peter Torokfalvy

Johann Zwar was born in 1821 in Saxony and was leader of a group that landed in South Australia on 24 December 1851. In 1852 he moved to the Barossa Valley area, where he founded a settlement that became known as Ebenezer, the centre of the farming community.

According to his history as reported by his family, his first mention of homœopathy was in a letter written in 1868 to his brother-in-law in Germany, where he mentioned homœopathic medicines.

According to Zwar's entry in the South Australian Directory, he considered himself to be a farmer, at least until 1886 or 1887, at which time he formally and publicly announced his change of occupation.

Zwar's name was included in the 1886 edition of The Australasian Medical Directory and Hand Book, which contained a List of Unregistered Practitioners:

ZWAR, J., near Tanunda. Homœopathist, formerly farmer. Lives six miles from Tanunda.

Zwar's services to his community were much sought after. In 1906, at age 84, he was reported as still visiting his patients, still driving 15 to 20 miles to patients.

Johann died 15 July 1912 and was buried at the Lutheran Church Cemetery, Ebenezer.

See also the article by Barbara Armstrong: South Australia's Unregistered 'Homœopathists' of 1886.

© Barbara Armstrong