Lüderitz, Namibia – by Gary

In 1881 Heinrich Vogelsang purchased land from the local Nama chief to establish a trading station.  Heinrich was acting for the Bremen merchant Adolf Lüderitz, and to begin with trade mostly focussed on guano (business was Shiesse, nicht so?).  In 1884 the new town carrying Adolf’s name officially became part of the German empire.  Shortly after most of the rest of south-west Africa, destined to become the modern state of Namibia, was also annexed by Germany.

It is was no Teutonic Garden of Eden: on the Atlantic shore all around Lüderitz stretches the Namib Desert, one of the oldest and driest in the world; on its eastern flank stretches the Kalahari; and, squeezed in between some land marginally suitable for farming.  But not easily discouraged and following in some well established colonial footsteps, German settlers started arriving in considerable numbers. Backed up by an enthusiastic military, they expropriated most of the best land from the local tribes, annihilating any resistance.

However this arid new colony was never destined for any great wealth; that is until the 1908 discovery of diamonds in the Namib Desert by workers building a railway to Lüderitz.  The resultant boom quickly transformed this sleepy little outstation into a rampaging rogues gallery where for instance barmaids were paid in diamonds when cash ran low.  Desert communities sprang up overnight in the Lüderitz hinterland, only to fade again as the diamonds pettered out.  In the fabulous Idatal Valley desert winds had laid bare gravels so rich in diamonds that after nightfall men on their hands and knees were able to gather gems glinting in the moonlight.

Diamonds remain important to the Namibian economy – Lonely Planet suggests about 26 tonnes of diamonds worth over US$9 billion are mined annually – however with the corporatization of the industry Lüderitz once again slipped back in to obscurity.  It remains an important port servicing diamond mining, as a coastal port for the hinterland and as a focus for fishing activity.

The Lutheran ‘Felsenkirche’ dominates town, with the town’s grander houses sited just below.

The stained glass window behind the altar was gifted to the town by Kaiser Wilhelm II

Everybody still speaks German and the restaurants have dishes like ‘eisbein mit saurkraut’

The streetscapes are fascinating, half Bavarian village, half Arabian Nights...

... but the vibrant colours remind you this is certainly not Germany.

Bare rock or dunes surround the almost permanently fog shrouded town.  The fog is caused by the Benguela Current sweeping up from Antarctica.  It's this same frigid current that also gives rise to the Namib Desert. 

- - -