Werner Steffen
Werner Steffen’s start in life was difficult. He grew up in Germany during and just after World War II. His Stuka pilot father was killed in 1942 but after his mother remarried he had no further contact with his father’s aristocratic family, and no money. He started work at 13 as a ship’s boy on Rhine River cargo vessels. Later, he joined the US Navy Rhine River Patrol, and the course of his life changed.
His mother had died in 1951, the brothers were scattered, and life in Germany did not look promising. He migrated to Australia with his first wife Christina but could not find work in the shipping industry. He had to start again. Working up to three jobs left little time to enjoy life and his first marriage failed.
Determined to improve his situation he completed the Leaving Certificate, and then studied Engineering part-time, graduating in 1971. Working for Union Carbide in Sydney, he was promoted to Chief Engineer in Kenya, spending an eventful three years there.
Successful professionally but unhappily married, life became a lonely grind. However, one evening in 1974 he met Christina, 19 years younger, and there was an instant and irresistible attraction. This relationship flourished until his death in 2021.
Later, Werner reconnected with his German relatives, including his father’s Mendelssohn family. He continued working as engineer at various multinational firms including pharmaceutical firm Ciba-Geigy, and Amatil. He completed his engineering career with ten years as shift manager for ANSTO at the nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights, Sydney. Moving to Cairns in 1994 gave the impetus to his third and most successful career – builder and investor – and the gift of his second son, Patrick.