THE POPE AND SCHRIMPF

Architect Karl Schrimpf who died recently had contact with some of the powerful men of the turbulent 20th century. During a discussion with him , he told me Hitler had presented him with an Iron Cross and Cardinal Ratzinger , now the Pope, had engaged him to design some buildings for him, and intimated the associated drawings were here in Darwin. Don't think it had anything to do with expansion of St Peter's in the Vatican. Schrimpf , a member of the Deutscher Klub , Darwin , was interested in history. To the Legislative Assembly he donated the Northern Territory flag designed by Robert Ingpen which was unfurled for the first time on July 1, 1978, the date the Territory was granted self-government . I first met Karl at a damp ceremony to honour Inspector Paul Foelsche , a former officer of the Hussars, who ran the early police force, buried with his wife at the Pioneers' Cemetery , Darwin.