From Bremerhaven to Wellington Europeans Came in 1876. We remember them 22 March 2026 - 150 years later!

The Ship Gutenberg left Bremerhaven with assisted immigrant passengers from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Prussia including Poland, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

Descendants of Gutenberg migrants will be together 21-23 March 2026 to celebrate the arrival of this Vogel immigration scheme ship in Wellington. The ship arrived in the NZ capital on 23 March 1876, 150 years ago. A few Italians went south to the Jackson Bay Special Settlement in south Westland for 2-3 years before returninbg north, but most of these immigrants settled and found work in the southern North island of New Zealand.

​The weekend celebrations will begin with a few descendants joining a commentated Wellington Harbour tour on Saturday 21 March. Most will join a guided tour of Wellington Museum, Queen's Wharf around midday Sunday before spending the afternoon together in the Loaves and Fishes hall at Wellington Anglican Cathedral.
Descendants will gather from around New Zealand and one couple are travelling from Perth, Western Australia. During the afternoon a book about the backdrop, the voyage, these immigrants and their descendants will be launched. Researched and written by descendant Terry Alve, From Bremerhaven to Wellington: the 1876 Gutenberg European Immigrants to Aotearoa New Zealand, this illustrated text offers 240 pages of information about this group of Europeans and their descendants to 1926.
Registrations to attend are still being received. For more information and the rego form visit: 
https://www.alve.nz/gutenberg-reunion.html

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