The first two parts of this story have appeared in the Advocate and can be found on our website.

We have finally reached the end of Daniel Berger’s life story, a journey that was a bit longer than I originally intended.

It has been one of those tales that just grew and luckily in our contemporary digital environment it is so easy and to find information from online resources – and it does not take long.

In our last episode we were let into the life of Mr Berger through the eyes of George Gunn who worked for him at the Lachlan Arcade and it must be agreed that our Dan was quite a character.

Daniel Berger conducted business at the Lachlan Arcade and also had various outreach sales in Parkes and Condobolin until he decided to go overseas in 1901 “for Mrs Berger’s health”, he left a manager in charge of the Arcade.

His farewell in Forbes is chaired by the Mayor and attended by local businessmen, he even makes the pages of the Sydney Jewish newspapers, all giving reference to his importance and prominence within the community.

Daniel Berger arrives back in Forbes in May 1902 with his usual fanfare. His advertisement in the local paper declares “HURRAH, HURRAH – Berger returned to Forbes ALIVE”.

Never short of a good idea or modesty was our Dan.  However his overseas jaunt must have cost him a few quid as he ended up in financial difficulties.

In January 1903 there is a meeting of creditors with Daniel just managing to meet his commitments by selling off premises and stock in Sydney.  

He had tried to dispose of his stock and the Lachlan Arcade in late 1902 but without much luck, “EXTRAORDINARY – Berger giving up business in Forbes – opening in Sydney and Newcastle” screamed his ads.

He also has another fire in a property in Trundle which is investigated, but fortunately, he is insured.

In September 1904 he runs an advertisement in The Sydney Morning Herald for The Lachlan Arcade in “The prosperous town of Forbes” – The price is 3,000 Pounds for the lot, building and stock.  

Dan must have been fortunate as in 1905 we have the Arcade under the ownership of Mr Michael Lee.

Thank goodness, I thought, that finishes my story of the Wandering Jew – but NO.

Just as in all good tales our Jewish friend crops up in various newspaper advertisements over the next few years in places as far afield as Brisbane, Ipswich, Charters Towers, Byron Bay, Murwillumbah and Lismore.  

Unfortunately he is plagued by yet another fire at Murwillumbah in 1907 which destroys a large part of the town. However he is insured and able to carry on.

Then comes something very unusual, even for our Dan Berger. In January 1907 in The Northern Star paper from Lismore he declares.

“SENSATIONAL ANOUNCEMENT – Bargain Hunter’s Harvest – 5000 pounds worth of general goods to go.” “To be disposed of by private and auction, Mr and Mrs Berger are leaving for Europe by P and O, Moldavia, March 27th next”.  

Then “By cable in the Sydney Morning Herald the death of the millionaire, Lou Spitzel of Carlsberg, a friend of mine who owes me a debt of gratitude for assisting him in 1886.  

“He left 2,000,000 Pounds sterling. 15,000 pounds of which has been left in my favour. As the money is now available I am going to take a trip home and reclaim it.”

Oh come on Dan, thinks I, that is a bit far-fetched, even by your standards.  

But the strange part is that Louis Spitzel did exist, he was a millionaire, did leave a will favouring old acquaintances and there is a strong possibility that he knew Berger. It may not have been a fib after all.

BUT Daniel and Mrs Berger did not catch the Moldavia, according to the passenger lists.

Now we who live in the Central West of NSW know of its attractions and the fact that we return here.  It must have been the same for the Bergers as in 1908 they are back in Parkes.

As usual he does not do anything by halves the advertisement reads ‘SLAUGHTER AT PARKES” and carries on with his intention to “slaughter all fat profits at Parkes”.

The add continues “Berger will settle in Parkes or Forbes. In order to ascertain the best place I am going to hold the GREATEST SACRIFICING SALE ever known in the West.

The whole of the valuable stock, amounting to 5967 pounds, will be sold at the Greatest Smash ever known.

Read this:

Sugar, exceeds the colour of snow, 14s3d per bag.

Ceylong Pekoe Tea 1s, one trial will hunt the Sydney traveller. 

Kerosene, good reliable brand, 4s tin. Snowflake 4s6d per tin.

Sunlight Soap 10d per box. Rice 2 ½ d per lb; Imported candles, eight in a packet, 6d; Best brand of salmon 7 ½ per tin; Ladies evening shoes 2s 11d.

He also added in a separate article.

“Mr Berger commenced business in Parkes on the 24th.  His avowed intention to see if it will pay better to settle in Parkes or Forbes.”  Sound familiar?.

It was easy to follow Daniel Berger’s wanderings on our National Library site Trove through his trail of masterful advertisements.

The last I could find was from Condobolin in November 1909 where, once again he says he is leaving the district.

Daniel and Mrs Berger finally left Australia on the German ship, Bremen in February 1910.

They travelled first class so he must have had a considerable amount stashed away, or had he received Louis Spitzel’s inheritance?

Daniel Berger died in Antwerp, Belgium November 8th 1920, Goulda, his wife, survived until 1949, also dying in Antwerp.

The Wandering Jew had finally stopped wandering.

Rob Willis is a Forbes local and oral historian with the National Library of Australia.

You can find his collection through the library’s website www.nla.gov.au/what-we-collect/oral-history-and-folklore

His collection includes stories and sounds – many from this region but all over Australia - from characters of the bush to “lost trades” such as that of local cobbler Harry Cahill or “endangered” sounds such as the engine of the rare Ivel tractor.