Muecke was born the eldest child of Doctor Carl Muecke at Rathenow, near Berlin, and was brought to South Australia by his parents when only seven years of age. They settled at Tanunda, among many other German settlers, where his father became a Lutheran minister, and was involved with the South Australia"s German language newspapers.
Young Hugo was sent to the local school, and at the age of 16 joined the merchants and shipping agents John Newman & Company of Portuguese Adelaide, who were looking for a young man fluent in both English and German. He maintained good relations with Adelaide"s German community and was appointed vice-consul for Germany in 1877. Five years later he was made Imperial German Consul, retaining that position for 32 years.
He was elected to the Legislative Council for the Central District in 1903, holding that seat for seven years.
He was also at different times on the boards of the Adelaide Steamship Company, the Trustee and Agency Company, the Bank of Adelaide, and the National Life Assurance Company. He died after a long illness and was buried at the North-road Cemetery.
Muecke married Margaret Le Page (died 1 November 1918) originally from Guernsey, Channel Islands on 2 April 1863. They had a homes at "The Myrtles", Hawkers Road Medindie, then Fitzroy Terrace, Prospect.
Their children were:
Edwin Charles Muecke (3 March 1864 – 12 April 1941) married Lillie Laughton on 29 May 1888
Emilie Caroline Muecke (1866 – 17 July 1928)
Alfred Eugen Muecke (13 September 1868 – 15 January 1886) drowned with son of West. R. Cave
Dora Muecke (8 December 1870 – 1956) society charity organiser
Louis Hugo Muecke (7 February 1873 – ca25 July 1943) married Isabel May Sunter on 4 April 1899
Walter Le Page Muecke (16 June 1875 – 15 March 1894) died at Roseworthy after fall from hay waggon
Andrew Percy Muecke (23 September 1877 – ) married Ethel Eunice Braund on 10 April 1907
Doctor Francis Frederick Muecke (6 December 1879 – 14 April 1945), a noted surgeon, married Ada Crossley on 11 April 1905
Mina Florence (14 December 1881 – 1957) married Fergus Voss Smith (died 22 September 1946) on 9 July 1909
Violet Margaret (18 April 1889 – ) married Edward Warner Benham, of on 21 June 1924.
He was also a prominent member of the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce, and served a term as chairman. He was at different times chairman of the Rosewater and the Walkerville District Councils, and a member of the Portuguese Adelaide Council. He took an early interest in the Broken Hill mines, and was made a member of the board of directors of Broken Hill Proprietary in 1892, and in 1914 succeeded John Darling as chairman of directors.
He was a prominent Freemason and before the war was an active member of the German Club and the Adelaide Club.
