Kolmanskop
Past and Present
Photography by Helga Kohl
Text by Amy Schoeman
Edition Namibia 9
Klaus Hess Publishers
Windhoek - Gottingen
© Photography Portfolio, Helga Kohl
© Text, Amy Schoeman
Published by
Klaus I less Publishers / Verlag, 2004
Windhoek - Gottingen
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means without prior written permission from the publisher.
All rights reserved.
www.k-hess-verlag.de
Printed in Germany
ISBN Namibia: 99916-57-06-1
ISBN Germany: 3-933117-18-6
Dieses Buch ist auch in Deutsch evhaltlich:
„Kolmanskuppe - Einst und Jetzt“
ISBN Namibia: 99916-57-05-3
ISBN Deutschland: 3-933117-17-8
Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Prologue
History
Introduction to Portfolio
The Kolmanskop Portfolio
List of plates
The authors
Map of Kolmanskop
Index (historical text)
4
5
6
7
9
41
49
112
115
116
118
Appointed as railway supervisor at Grasplatz in 1907,
Bahnmeister August Stauch,
who instructed his labourers to look for “pretty stones”.
8
Kolmanskop
The rise and decline of the town
Historical perspective of the diamond industry in Namibia
One of Namibia’s most evocative relics of the past is the ghost town Kolmanskop, the best-
known of several former diamond settlements dial today lie forsaken and disintegrating in the
shifting sands of the Spcrrgebiet, the remote area set aside for mining and prospecting in
German colonial times.
The setdements — Pomona, Bogenfels, Elisabcthbucht and Charlottcntal - and the administra-
tive centre of the diamond industry, Kolmanskop, which rapidly developed as a small but
bustling haven of German culture and social life, lie between Liideritz and the Bogenfels rock
arch on Namibia’s southern Adanuc seaboard. They shot up like lightning in the early 1900s,
following the discovery of diamonds by a railway employee near die siding of Kolmanskop. In
less than 40 years they flourished, brought prestige and power to many, and died.
Kolmanskop in its heyday is vividly brought to life in the following description of Sunday
afternoon strolls through the main street of die town: “Fashionably attired in well-cut outfits,
the better halves of the diamond kings walked through the deep sand, their left hands mostly
in cotton gloves, holding their long trains very stiffly, while their right hands held their feath-
ered and flowered hats in place against the pressure of the wind.” Today the wind whispers
through the empty streets, broken windows and open doors, as crumbling structures and
disintegrating mining machinery gradually succumb to die encroaching desert sands.
The name Kolmanskop, Kolmannskuppe or Kolmanskoppe can be traced back to a transport
driver named Johnny Coleman. At the turn of the century he was a citizen of Aus, a tiny
setdement situated 125 km inland from Liideritz. Before the railway line was built, Coleman
transported goods from Keetmanshoop to Liideritz by ox wagon. It was his custom to
outspan his oxen in the vicinity of a low-lying gneiss hillock or koppie (Kitppc). the small
9
incline next to the road from where the Kolmanskop of today can be seen. The story goes that
while camping at this place in 1905, a fierce sandstorm sprang up and Coleman’s oxen disap-
peared into the desert. Coleman was rescued, but had to abandon his ox wagon. Other trans-
porter drivers, seeing the wagon standing on the hill, started calling it Colemanshuegel, from
which the Afrikaans version Kolman se Kop or Kolmanskop was derived, and the
German Kolmanskuppe.
The discovery of diamonds in German South West Africa can be traced back to 1907 when
August Stauch, a railway employee from Germany, arrived in the colony to work on the newly
constructed railway line between 1 .iideritz and Aus. To pioneer development of the new
colony, the German government had contracted the Deutsche Kolonial-Eisenbahnbau- und
Betriebsgesellschaft to establish a railway network in the new colony. When Liideritz became
important for die military manoeuvres of the Schutztruppe - Germany’s colonial forces sent to
die protectorate to keep the local inhabitants under control - the German railway company,
Lenz and Co, was subcontracted to build the railroad from Keetmanshoop to Liideritz. The
first section, extending for 125 km between Liideritz and Aus, was completed and put into use
in November 1906, and in 1907 August Stauch was appointed railway supervisor at Grasplatz.
Born in 18^8 in Ettenhausen an der Suhl, a small village situated at the foot of the Thuringian
forests in the green heart of Germany, August was introduced as a young boy to the world of
railways. His father, Andreas Stauch, had served as mayor of Ettenhausen, and one of his
projects was to promote the extension of the railway line to the small village. This created an
interest in the young August which was to have a major bearing not only on his life, but also
on the development of the mining industry in German South West Africa.
At the time leading up to this appointment, the young Stauch had completed his year's mili-
tary service in the Pioneer Corps, during which he became involved in engineering projects
such as bridge-building. I his entailed standing in water for long periods, and he developed an
asthmatic condition that was to plague him for the rest of his life. As it turned out, his asthma
was the main reason he left Germany in 1907, in the belief that the warm, sunny and dry cli-
mate oi Germany s colony in South West Africa would be good for his health.
1 he building of the line between Keetmanshoop and Liideritz had posed many problems,
especially the chronic lack of water and availability of labour. Other than nomadic groups of
10
indigenous people, who were physically unsuitable for the work, there were no local inhabit-
ants in the desert areas, so the company was obliged to employ coloured workers from the
Cape Colony south of the Orange River. Other serious problems were the strong winds that
blew in the area, especially the prevailing south-west wind, and the frequent occurrence of
sandstorms, which covered the track in next to no time. Stauch was put in charge of the
section of railway line that lay between 18 km and 27 km from Ltideritz. His responsibilities
included keeping it clear of sand.
Thus, at the end of May 1907, Stauch commenced his duties as Bahnmeister (railway supervi-
sor) at a small siding named Grasplatz. Legend has it that the name of the siding - an extreme
touch of irony, since there was not a single blade of grass in sight - had its origin in the bales
of grass dropped there by drivers of ox wagons travelling from the interior to Ltideritz. Stauch
took up residence in a crude structure of corrugated iron, with similar structures nearby pro-
viding shelters for the 100 or so coloured workers under his supervision.
At the railway siding Grasplatz. with August Stauch on the far right.
11
Where such a hostile and stark environment would soon have proved too much tor lesser
beings, Stauch’s cheerful disposition and spirit of unfailing optimism and idealism sustained
him through the isolation and loneliness of his posting. His sense of adventure and lively
interest in his surroundings spurred him on to explore the desert, for which he developed a
lasting affinity. He became entranced by the ever-changing shapes of the dunes and colour ot
the sand, which varied from ivory white to golden yellow, deep maroon and russet red,
depending on the location and time of day. He became aware of the intricate life in the dunes,
the insects and desert-adapted plants, and the high mineral content of the sand. Some dunes
had sharply defined patterns reminiscent of a zebra's stripes, the black streaks of magnetite
and ilmenite set off by the pale glittering grains of quartz in the body of the dune. Others
had maroon coatings of garnet crystals, which he later learned were typical of diamondiferous
soils.
It was inevitable that, sooner or later, Stauch’s thoughts would turn to diamonds. By this
time reports of the discoveries in South Africa had spread throughout the world. Ground
resembling the pipes of blue earth or kimberlite that were yielding diamonds at Kimberley
had been discovered in the vicinity of Gibeon, a remote outpost in the southern region of
German South West Africa. Hopeful fortune hunters were already crossing the Orange River
to investigate. While it subsequently transpired that there were no diamonds in the Gibeon
environs, the rumours persisted, supported by stories that guano diggers on the offshore
islands near the Orange River mouth had found diamonds. 1’his theory was supported by the
supposition that the occurrence of diamonds or even gold was feasible in the Modder River,
which flowed south of Kimberley and shed its waters into the Orange.
The momentous discovery of the first diamond was made early in April in 1908, less than a
year after Stauch had arrived in die German colony. Barely two weeks after instructing his
workers to look out for “pretty ’ stones, one of them, Zacharias Lewala, found the small
sparkling stone that was subsequently confirmed to be a diamond. While shovelling sand
against the embankment close to the siding referred to as Kolmanskop, about 10 km east of
Liideritz, Lewala saw a small stone sparkling amongst the loose grains of quartz. He was not
unduly excited, because of the presence of mica, which also glittered in the sunlight.
However, mindful of what the Bahnmeister had said, he bent down to examine it. It was a
small, shiny crystal. He picked it up and handed to the foreman.
12
According to Stauch, neither Lewala nor the foreman recognised it as a diamond. Stauch was
informed of the find by the engine driver of the next train, and the crystal was duly handed
over to him. Barely able to keep his composure, Stauch tested its hardness on the glass of his
watch. When it cut the glass he was convinced it was a diamond. Once in Liideritz he showed
it to Oberbahnmeister (chief railway supervisor) Kreplin. From Liideritz the two of them,
accompanied by one of their superiors, a gentleman named Max Weidtmann, journeyed by
steam engine to the small settlement of Aus. Weidtmann had suggested that the stone be
examined by a Dr Peyer, who was in charge of the hospital at Aus. In the hospital's laboratory
Peyer cleaned the stone in acid, and announced immediately that it was, indeed, a real
diamond.
In a story published subsequently, Stauch had reportedly instructed his labourers to look out
for unusual stones. One of them had told him about a rock crystal he had found, but had then
smashed with a hammer to test its strength. Stauch had replied jokingly that they must look
out especially for diamonds, at which they laughed uproariously, since diamonds were found
only in “blue ground". Bearing out the maxim that many a true word is said in jest, Stauch’s
joke turned out to be prophetic, setting off the diamond rush which gave birth not only to
Kolmanskop, but to the development of the diamond industry in German South West Africa,
an industry that to this day is the mainstay of Namibia’s mining sector.
While rumours of the discovery were spreading, Stauch wasted no lime. Quietly he pegged
off claims for himself in the area surrounding Kolmanskop, applying for two prospecting
licences to the Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft fur Siidwestafrika (DKG), the legal successor
of the company that belonged to the trader Adolf Liideritz, after whom Ltideritz was named.
With an undertaking for financial backing by his superiors, Max Weidtmann, builder-
architect of the railway line, and Sonkc Nissen, chief engineer in charge of the project, he
resigned from his post as station master at Grasplatz. In a relatively short space of lime, he
had pegged thirty claims, and with the financial assistance of his former employers, he com-
menced mining. On May 20 he took his diamonds to Swakopmund to be officially authenti-
cated by the newly established laboratory, the Bergtechnisches I^aboratorium, which had been
founded by the Siidwestafrikanisches Minensyndikat. It was confirmed that not only were the
stones diamonds, but, although small in size, the quality was outstanding. This was barely six
weeks after Zacharias Lewala had found the first “pretty stone” near Kolmanskop.
13
It was claimed in later newspaper reports that Lewalas find could be ascribed to the tact that
he had previously worked in a diamond mine at Kimberley. 1 he reports claimed that he had
recognised the stone as a diamond, and had said so when he handed it over to the foreman. In
a publication entitled Die deutschen Diamanten und ihre Gewinnung, however, Stauch re-
futes this, saying that Lewala had been a coach driver in the Cape Colony, and had never
worked in a diamond mine. In fact, said Stauch, Lewala had initially been taken into his em-
ploy to drive his horse carriage. ITtere are no other reports of Lcwala’s comings and goings,
or whether he was ever awarded for his momentous find.
Initially the rumours of diamond discoveries were regarded with great scepticism. In 1 .iideritz
it was said that Stauch, who was a mere railway man and a great dreamer and romantic, was
the last person who would recognise a diamond, as he had no knowledge of mining in general
or diamonds in particular. This scepticism was strengthened by the fact that the desert sur-
rounding Liideritz had been thoroughly explored by experienced geologists and prospectors,
and that they had found nothing.
The press was equally sceptical. The Windhuker Nachrichten reported that stories of “finds”
such as these were spread around “to deceive stupid people” and were intentionally mislead-
ing. However, when Stauch started giving diamonds away in Swakopmund, and showed the
Early diamond diggers, photographed on 11 June, 1908.
correspondent of the Deutsch-
Siidwestafrikamsche Zeitung about
200 of the small stones, the reporter
wrote that it was unlikely that
Stauch would be giving the stones
away with the sole purpose of de-
ceiving people unless he could back
his claims.
As it turned out, the scepticism was
much to Stauch’s advantage, since it
enabled him to take his time and
peg his claims without interference.
The perception that diamonds were
found only on blue ground and not
14
in desert sand added to the overall disbelief in his claims. It was only when the validity of the
diamond discoveries were confirmed by the government geologist, Dr Paul Range, that
doubts were finally allayed.
Diamond fever erupted and a rush of fortune hunters descended on the newly discovered di-
amond fields. Liideritz emptied virtually overnight, offices and shops closed, and hopeful dia-
mond hunters descended en masse on Kolmanskop, some on horseback and camels, others in
horse carts and ox wagons, some even on foot. Soon the entire area was swarming with pros-
pectors and fortune-seekers. In some areas diamonds lay scattered freely on the desert sur-
face. Historical photographs show miners crawling across the sand on their hands and knees
picking up diamonds.

In some areas “mining” amounted to simply picking up the diamonds from the desert surface. Face masks or goggles made from
smoked glass, with gauze flaps at the sides, were worn to protect their eyes against the glare reflected from the sand.
15
An official parly consisting of government officials and police under supervision ot Dr Range,
who had been instructed to peg claims for the government as soon as possible, set oft in great
secrecy at the crack of dawn on Sunday June 28. The objective was to do the pegging in as
wide a range as possible, rather than have a continuous block of claims. I lowever, by this time
Stauch, who had more experience of surveying and knew this section of the desert well, and
also had the advantage of an early start, had already staked out some of the best claims for
himself.
I le had set himself up in a small tent on one of his claims in rite middle of the desert, from
where he conducted his prospecting. He lived here under the most primitive circumstances.
Initially he limited his mining endeavours to digging trenches. These were approximately
2 metres deep, and the diamond gravel was sifted directly in the trenches. He soon discovered
that the largest concentrations of diamonds occurred in the valleys between the dunes, where
they were brought by the strong, primarily south-west, winds. The diamonds he found at this
time were mostly small, about four or five to the carat (the metric mass unit for precious
stones, equal to 0.206 gm), and were surprisingly uniform, both in size and in colour.
The news of the finds was spreading rapidly. An inhabitant of Liideritz, a Dr Reinshagen,
who was visiting in Germany at the time, made several telephone calls ordering claims to be
pegged in his name. The influx of people attracted to Liideritz by diamond fever caused seri-
ous shortages in the town, especially of accommodation and water, and the price of normal
commodities rose sky-high.
Chaos reigned where claims had been pegged. According to the mining laws of the time,
claims had to be laid out in circles with a radius of one kilometre. This caused overlapping
and much confusion, giving rise to heated altercations, some of which even culminated in law
suits. Soon most of rhe land surrounding Liideritz had been pegged, and licences became in-
creasingly difficult to obtain. Existing claims, some of which were subsequently proved worth-
less, changed hands at ever-increasing prices, as did newly formed companies and syndicates.
Very few of the diamond seekers had any experience of mining. Many of them simply lay flat
on their stomachs or crawled around on the desert surface on their hands and knees to search
through the sand. By today’s standards their methods were primitive indeed. Using knives or
16
any object with a sharp edge, they simply lifted the diamonds out of the sand and deposited
them into glass or tin containers, which they hung round their necks or waists with string.
Fred Cornell, one of the large number of prospectors who converged on Liideritz to seek their
fortunes, wrote several books on his experiences. In A Treasure Hunt in the lund of Thirst he
describes how, because of the water shortage in 1 .iideritz, miners who had developed painful
sun blisters after spending long hours exposed to the harsh desert sun, added to their misery
by washing in salt water. Hats or helmets were not sufficient protection against the glare re-
flected from the sand, and protective face masks or goggles made from smoked glass, with
gauze flaps at the side, were devised to protect their eyes.
An interesting phenomenon was that while the desert diamonds were more or less uniform in
size, as if the forces of wind and water had graded them, in the streets or valleys between the
dunes the diamonds were not only larger but also more numerous than those found on the
plains. This resulted in a convergence of activities in these valleys. The German word 7а/,
meaning valley, was incorporated into many of the names of the diamond companies, such as
Zillertal, Grillental and Charlottental. The diamonds found north of Liideritz were the small-
est, with an average of about six to the carat.
By the end of 1908 diamonds of up to two and a half carats were being found, and diamond
producers were receiving 28.50 German marks per carat. At this point Stauch had about 70
people in his employ. Unlike many of the other producers, who worked only the rich upper
layers, his workers did regular trenching, which pushed up his costs. He lost many stones,
especially to theft, but in spire of the lack of control, he was soon well on his way to becoming
a millionaire.
The discoveries exceeded the German government’s wildest expectations of the territory’s
mineral wealth. Haring to maintain the Schutztruppe and build a railway line from Kectmans-
hoop to Ltideritz for strategic and military purposes, the German government had become
increasingly concerned about lite financial drain this was having on the state coffers. In an at-
tempt to put the administration of German South West Africa on a sounder financial footing,
a colonial secretary was appointed to visit the protectorate, assess the situation and introduce
the necessary measures to lighten the economic burden to the fatherland. A director of the
17
Digging and washing was done by hand in the early days.
Darmstadcr Bank, Dr
Bernhard Dernburg, was
appointed in the post of
colonial secretary, with
Walther Rathcnau, a
well-known engineer and
industrialist, as his assis-
tant.
On their way to German
South West Africa, to
prepare themselves for
their inspection of the
diamond fields in the
colony, Dernburg and
Rathenau had visited the Premier Mine near Pretoria and the De Beers Mine at Kimberley.
They arrived in Liideritz on July 21,1908, and a few days later visited Kolmanskop, from
where they were taken by horse-cart to see the diamond fields. This turned out to be the high-
light of their visit to the
colonial territories.
Soon, however, an electrical sand dredger was brought to the
diamond fields to speed up the process.
Dernburg was presented
with a gift of diamonds
to present to the Kaiser.
The costly presentation
consisted of two golden
caskets, each embossed
with the Kaiser’s crown
and the southern cross,
studded with diamonds,
as well as twenty loose
diamonds for each year
of the imperial reign. He
was taken on an inspec-
18
tion tour of the railway depot, Liideritz harbour, the customs house and the water condenser.
Due to his business and banking background, Dernburg soon realised the potential of the
desert colony with its hidden wealth, and how it could be exploited to fill the imperial trea-
sury. While in Liideritz he was introduced to two representatives of the De Beers company,
who spoke positively about the potential of the diamond fields and die quality of the stones.
When he returned to Germany he submitted a full report to the Reichstag. This resulted in
the hasty proclamation of new legislation concerning the prospecting and mining of diamonds
in the colony. On September 22, 1908, an area bounded in the south by die Orange River, in
the west by die Adantic Ocean, in the east by a line running parallel widi die coast for 100 km
and in the north by the 20th latitude south, was proclaimed as Spcrrgcbiet (Prohibited Area).
With the exception of the four existing companies, the sole right for further prospecting and
mining of minerals in diis area was given to the colonial company, die Deutsche Kolonial-
gesellschaft fur Sudwestafrika (DKG).
'I*he first wooden buildings erected at Kolmanskop in 1908/09.
19
Following this promulgation, no new licences were to be issued in the prohibited area, and the
value of prospecting licences bought for 60 German marks shot up to 6 000 German marks.
Fortunately for Stauch, recognition was given to the claims he had already registered. I he
four companies that already had rights at the time of the promulgation were Stauch’s
Koloniale Bergbau Gesellschaft, the Kolmanskuppc Gesellschaft, which belonged to the
I .iideritz baker, Schuster, the Diamanten Akticngcsellschaft belonging to Weiss, De Meillon
and Co, and G F Schmidt’s Vereinigte Diamanlengesellschaft.
The ordinance forced all other prospectors northwards beyond the borders of the
Spcrrgebiet. A month later another ordinance was promulgated to exercise control over uncut
diamonds. This was followed by an ordinance giving the government the right to fix quotas
for each company. In February 1909 a further ordinance was promulgated whereby all dia-
monds produced in the protectorate had to be channelled through one selling organisation,
the Diamant Regie des Siidwestafrikanischen Schulzgebietes. The organisation became gen-
erally known as the Regie.
By January 1909 some 40 managerial staff and 250 labourers were employed by these various
companies, and average production had risen to 500 carats per day. Dr Range believed that
with better management the output could be increased to 2 000 carats per day.
Although news of the diamond fields discovered in the southern Namib Desert had reached
the mining concerns in South Africa, not too much notice was taken, as alluvial diamond
fields were known to have short productive lives. However, by the end of 1908, reports filtered
through of an estimated annual production ol one and a half million carats, giving rise to
serious concern.
A German geologist and mining engineer, Dr Hans Merensky, who had offices in Johannes-
burg, was commissioned to investigate the newly discovered mining fields in German South
West Africa. I le was dispatched to Liideritz, and his report entitled “The Diamond Deposits
ol I .iidentzland. German South West Africa”, was published in 1909 in the Transactions of the
Geological Society of South Africa. In the report he detailed his meetings with Stauch and de-
scribed the geology of the terrain. He had become convinced, during his explorations espe-
cially of Stauch s areas, that the stones were of marine origin, since riverbeds in the interior
had not yielded any diamonds. He theorised that the diamonds had been formed in a pipe in
20
the ocean many millions of years ago and had been deposited along the shore at a time when
the terraces were still under the sea. His theory was confirmed a few years later, following the
discovery of fossilised warm-water oyster shells and diamond terraces south of the Orange
River. In earlier times the warm Mozambique current flowed from the east coast round Af-
rica’s southern extension and up the west coast. When it was diverted by the rising of the
Cape Peninsula, today’s cold Bengucla Current started flowing up the west coast of Southern
Africa towards the equator.
The South African diamond giant, De Beers, sent mining experts to Liideritz to investigate.
'They reported that, despite the diamonds being alluvial, lhe diamond fields were extremely
rich. Unaccountably there was still very little interest from German financiers to invest in the
blossoming industry. Concerned about this, the German consul in Pretoria sent a letter to the
government in Windhoek urging Germany to prevent lhe diamond fields from falling into De
Beer’s hands. The German consul in Cape Town, too, wrote a letter to die German govern-
ment, protesting the lack of interest and financial assistance on the part of German business-
men. He warned that De Beers had its eye on the Weiss and De Meillon Company, which had
declared itself willing to allow South African financing, provided the company remained un-
der German management.
The registration of diamonds was being done at Kuibis, 180 km from Liideritz, by the gov-
ernment geologist, who was so overburdened with other tasks dial he could simply not cope
with it efficiently. Initially there were only two policemen stationed at Kolmanskop to oversee
all the diamond fields. This resulted in a great deal of theft and illicit private diamond deals.
The first of several laws created by the colonial government making it illegal to give diamonds
away and to trade in rough, uncut stones was promulgated.
Early in 1909, Stauch struck it lucky once again. Alerted by a worker who had stumbled on a
layer of diamonds lying as thick as “plums under a plum tree”, he and Prof Robert Scheibe, a
representative of the mineralogy department of the Koniglichen Bergakademie zu Berlin, who
had been granted a year’s sabbatical leave to investigate the kimberlite or blue-ground pipes
discovered at Gibeon, established that there were even richer diamond deposits in lhe
Pomona area, about 150 km south of I .iideritz. The discovery is said to have occurred shortly
before dark. Diamonds were lying around so abundantly that Stauch and Scheibe continued
picking them up by moonlight.
21
Stauch named this place Idatal (Ida’s Valley) after his wife, who at the lime was still living in
Germany. Other valleys in this area were pegged and given imaginative names such as
Hcxenkcssel (witches' kettle) and Marchental (fairy-tale valley). When he and Stauch found
this particular valley, Scheibe had exclaimed, “Ein Marchen! Ein Marchen!” (A fairy-tale! A
fairy-tale!). All in all, Stauch and Scheibe pegged ten claims in these areas.
In October of 1909 a prospector named Georg Klinghardt, while leading a camel expedition
in die desert south of Kolmanskop, found diamonds near Bogenfels, die gigantic 55-metre-
high rock arch diat juts into die Adantic Ocean about 100 km south of Pomona. Klinghardt
was another of the many colourful characters who became involved in the diamond industry
in the early days. His parents were German missionaries who had setded in I attic Nantaqua-
land in ihe 1800s. In 1897, taking their livestock with them, Georg and his family set off in ox
wagons for the land across the Orange River and established a farm at Kubub in the
pre-Namib. Restless by nature, Klinghardt took a job as a salesman and started travelling to
Liideritz by ox wagon. When his employer heard the rumours of diamond discoveries, he sent
Klinghardt on a camel into the desert to investigate. The diamond mine at Bogenfels, which
was worked from 1910 to 1913, yielded a total of 400 000 carats of diamonds before it went
out of production.
Mining was done manually. Shovels were used to excavate the gravel, which was then
screened by various sieving techniques. Expansive fields of the resulting gravel heaps can be
seen to this day in the northern coastal area of the Sperrgcbiet. Although the methods of
recovery were simple, the deposits were so rich that by the outbreak of World War 1 over
5 million carats (1 000 kg) of diamonds had been found, amounting to 20% of world
production.
By this time the grievances of die diamond producers in German South West Africa had been
recognised. In 1913 the Regie’s 5% commission was reduced to 2% on selling price, plus 2%
on government tax. From 1913 to 1914 the Regie handled more titan one and a half million
carats of diamonds. These were sold for over 2.5 million pound sterling, which amounted to
almost >4 million German marks. In 1914, when diamonds were sold to the Diamond Syndi-
cate in London instead ol to the Antwerp monopoly, the price rose from 29 to 43 German
marks per carat.
22
Kolmanskop, photographed in 1914.
Kolmanskop soon became the focal point of the diamond business in German South West
Africa. As mining progressed, the tiny makeshift diamond settlement that had sprung up be-
tween the dunes rapidly developed into a prosperous and fully functioning little town. In
barely two years (1908-1910) the initial wooden buildings with corrugated-iron claddings
which had been prefabricated in Germany and transported over sea and land to Kolmanskop,
were replaced by far more substantial double-storcycd structures built with steel girders, mor-
tar, stone and bricks. The stylish residences of the German professional mining personnel
were built on the incline west of the mining plant, while the 800 Owambo workers lived in a
barrack-type building lower down on the slope, approximately 2 km from the central washing
area.
The imposing residences built for Kolmanskop’s high society had grand staircases and elabo-
rate reception rooms, reflecting the latest in German architectural styles and interior design.
I -ooking up at the row of houses towards the west, on a slope at the far right, was the house of
mining engineer and plant manager, Leonhard Kolle, with its magnificent view across the
desert. On a clear day the sea could be seen from a west-facing balcony leading off one of the
bedrooms. The house had an elaborate facade, and impressively large reception rooms. There
was a huge fireplace in the living room, complete with chimney, and a massive terrazzo bath
in the upper bathroom.
23
Close by was the house of Hans 1 lornlein, Kolle’s second-in-command, who was also a min-
ing engineer. The house on the far left belonged to Emil Peterson, the mining engineer, and to
its right was the villa of the quarter master, Weidel. Next to this was the house inhabited by
Huessmann, and close by, that of die accountant, Wiese. Diagonally behind this house was the
dwelling of the mine architect, Kirchhoff. For many years former residents of Kolmanskop
spoke of Kirchhoff’s two beautiful daughters, whose smiles converted die desert into a lus-
cious, green garden.
Utility buildings consisted of a general dealer’s store, a police station - from where policemen
often departed on their patrols on camels - and a butchery and bakery. The bakery was
equipped with the most modern, state-of-the-art facilities of the time - the latest Scnking
steam ovens, fully mechanised so that nothing was touched by human hand, from the mixing
of the dough to the finished loaves. A lemonade and soda-water factory, which used the same
cooling facilities as the butchery, provided each household with a free block of ice on a daily
basis, and when required, soda-water at cost price.
The ice blocks, shaped in narrow, upright forms, were made by hanging fresh-water contain-
ers into a basin tilled with salt water, into which carbon dioxide was pumped electrically. This
cooled salt water was then pumped into the butchery next door to keep lhe meat-storage
rooms cool. Because water and fodder were so expensive at Kolmanskop, the cattle delivered
by train to the town were slaughtered immediately at the abattoir situated approximately 1 km
away, l he meat was then stored in the cooling rooms of the butchery. Rooms for smoking
meat were incorporated into the butchery. I he facility also had an excellent sausage kitchen,
in which two huge sausage boilers were installed. These two boilers can still be seen today, as
well as, from the outside, the remains of the chimneys of the smokery, albeit somewhat man-
gled by the continual onslaught of strong desert winds and sandstorms.
The Kolmanskop post office opened in February 1909. The primary school - where pupils
were taught up to Standard 3 - had a playground featuring a slide, swings and merry-go-
round. In 1928 the number of pupils in the school was 44. There was also a carpentry shop,
stables and a large workshop and storage depot. These facilities, including the butchery,
bakery, storage room and general dealer, all belonged to Stauch. The general dealer stocked
anything from fresh cheese to jodhpurs, cotton and thread, soap, perfume and boiled
sweets.
24
Kolmanskop station in 1908.
The primary school, where pupils were taught up to Standard 3.
The central washing plant, which handled
up to 2 000 m’ of coarse sand per day.
The strong winds anti the fact that
water had to be transported over
long distances to the town made
life in Kolmanskop not only com-
plicated but also arduous. In the
early days drinking waler, as much
as 1 000 tons per month, had to be
shipped all the way from Cape
Town to Liideritz, and then trans-
ported by rail to Kolmanskop,
from where it was taken in barrels
to the diamond fields. The wagons
conveying the barrels frequently
became bogged down in the thick
sand. This was solved by having
the barrels dragged across the
sand by mules.
Fresh water was also obtained
from Garub Pan, 92 km to the
east. Each inhabitant of Kolmans-
kop was given 20 litres of water
per day, free of charge. Any addi-
tional water had to be bought - at
half the price of beer! Fresh water
was also needed to power the
steam engines. This necessitated
the building of a power station in
Liideritz. Electricity - an ex-
tremely advanced technology’ for
the time - was transmitted to
Kolmanskop from I liideritz and
was used to power the town and
the mining operation.
25
Sea water was pumped via a 125 mm-wide pipeline from Elisabethbucht for some 28 km into
a reservoir perched on top of a large sand dune west of the town. '1 his storage facility not only
provided the plant with water for washing and treatment operations, but served as a swim-
ming pool for the residents of the town. When tired and stressed they could relax in a salty
bath 160 m above sea level. A pipeline also supplied sea water to Charlotlental for mining
operations.
Salt-water condensation units were built subsequently at Liideritz and Bogenlels, and the de-
salinated water was combined with the fresh water pumped from the fountains at Garub,
Anichab, Grillcntal and Pomona. When the water from the fountains was too brack, it was di-
luted with fresh water. In 1920 the cost of water from the condensation plants was eight
pfennig per litre, rising to 10 pfennig per litre in 1930. Because residents of Kolmanskop were
supplied with 20 litres of free water per day, they did not find this price too high. On average
a family of four was entitled to 80 litres of fresh water per day, which was ample, considering
that water was a luxury in the desert. When the daily consumption of salt water by the desali-
nation plant was increased to 1 000 cubic metres, the 125 mm-widc pipeline was replaced
with one that was 155 mm wide. The electricity' supply needed to operate the machinery
came from the Luderitzbucht Elektrizitatsgesellschaft.
Despite these logistical difficulties, the town flourished and grew. Kolmanskop’s large and
modern hospital was the first in Southern Africa to be equipped with an X-ray machine, and
was regarded as one of the finest in Africa. The hospital had a maternity ward, an operating
theatre and even its own wine cellar. 1 he justification for the cellar was that wine was also
used tor medicinal purposes. Indeed, one of the two resident doctors was a firm believer that
stimulation in the form of a little wine or champagne led to a more speedy recovery. The 800
Ou ambo labourers living in the barracks had a separate hospital, which housed a steam
disinfector, bathing and de-licing facilities, and isolation wards.
Inhabitants ol Kolmanskop and Liideritz often made picnic and weekend excursions into the
surroundings, travelling by horse cart or along the railroad in trolleys. A favoured destination
was the towering rock arch of Bogcnfels, from where, at low tide, caves could be explored
from the beach. Excursions to catch rock lobster were undertaken to the small bay of
Jammerbucht near the diamond settlement of Pomona. The lobsters were boiled in salt water
or grilled on an open fire.
26
Other weekend outings were to the Wiisten Konig (Desert King), a hotel in Elisabethbucht;
Prinzenbucht, where there were landing facilities for boats from steamers; Griffith Bay, where
day trippers from Kolmanskop and Liideritz could obtain liquor and meals, and have a game
of skittles; and Radford Bay, with its many lagoons frequented by aquatic and marine birds,
especially flamingos.
Recreation in Kolmanskop was initially provided in a corrugated-iron recreation centre with a
skittle alley. There were tennis courts, and if one suffered from stress, steam baths where one
could relax. In 1927 the recreation centre was replaced by a large new facility referred to as
the Turnhalle (gymnasium) or the Casino, although gambling was not its mainstay. Because
the centre was built almost 20 years after most other buildings in the town, it is one of the
best-preserved structures
in Kolmanskop today.
Designed to resemble an
officers’ mess, it was con-
structed around a steel
frame that had been man-
ufactured in Germany
and assembled in
Kolmanskop, and built
with locally produced
building bricks. The
completed facility was of-
ficially opened in 1928.
The new Turnhalle or Casino was built in 1927 and opened in 1928.
Today the structure houses a cafe and curio shop, and is where
guided tours through the town start and end.
Included in the centre
were two separate dining rooms, one for officials and one for workers, a bar, a reading room,
two club rooms and an extensive skittle alley built to resemble a traditional German one. To-
day, anyone who manages to hit all nine pins on this more than 70-year-old alley, receives an
Urkunde certificate attesting to this achievement.
ЧЪеге was also a spacious gymnasium complete with horses and springboards, and an enter-
tainment or festivity hall, which had a fully functional stage, large auditorium and viewing bal-
cony. Designed by a specialist German architect, the hall had excellent acoustics and was also
27
suitable for showing films. The different rooms had solid wood panelling, above which the
walls were painted and decorated with magnificent artistic friezes and theatrical masks. I he
rooms were named according to these friezes and colours.
The enormous kitchen with its high ceiling was resplendent with tiles imported from Bremen.
It was equipped with two Senking stoves, placed in the middle of the room, with their chim-
neys underneath the flooring, leaving ample space for manoeuvring. This facility was leased
to a contractor, who lived in an adjoining house.
Development of Kolmanskop reached its zenith in die twenties. Not only was the central
washing area al the processing plant handling 2 000 cubic metres of coarse sand per day
(133 tons of coarse sand per hour), but it was also producing 10 000 building bricks daily.
Stauch, die driving force behind the town’s development, believed - as did the principals of
die other mining concerns - dial die life of the diamond industry would be approximately
50 years. In developing the town, they had therefore built homes for themselves that would
last as long as they believed the mines would be productive. According to a report by the
KBG’s manager, Leonhard Kolle, dated April 6,1933, the 350 German inhabitants in
A fair complete with merry-go-round provided entertainmcni
for adults and children alike in as early as 1919.
Kolmanskop were
living in relative
luxury, considering
die harshness and
isolation of their
surroundings.
Mining technology
that measured up to
the highest of world
standards was
employed at the
Kolmanskop plant,
and the people hired
in Germany to man-
age the mining opera-
tions were eminently
28
Theatrical productions were a regular feature in tire large auditorium of the Recreation Centre,
which had a fully functional stage, large enough to accomodate a live horse!
qualified in their professions. They were offered permanent
positions at high salaries and were encouraged to bring their
families with them to the colony. This meant that a social en-
vironment had to be created in Kolmanskop that lived up to
their expectations and compensated for their isolation from
“civilisation”.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Kolmanskop is the re-
fined nature of the culture that evolved in the town, despite,
or more likely because of, the isolation and bleakness of the
29
surrounding desert. Offering entertainment and recreation to suit the requirements and de-
sires of the affluent colonialists, it developed into a lively little sanctuary of German customs
and traditions.
The lifestyles, modes of dress and social attitudes of the town’s inhabitants reflected those of
Europeans of that era. The wives of the mining officials wore imported dresses from Europe,
reflecting the latest fashions. Their outfits were given an African-colonial finish with black,
white and grey ostrich feathers, worn as boas or adorning stylish hats. The men, too, were
fashionably attired. On Sundays especially they were resplendent in top hats, black ties, stiff
white collars, shirt pretenders, spats and patent-leather shoes.
At this time approximately
300 German adults, 40 chil-
dren and 800 Owambo con-
tract workers lived in the
town. The focus of enter-
tainment and social life was
in the elaborate recreation
hall with its gambling sa-
loons, and acoustically per-
fect auditorium where balls
were held and plays, music
concerts and operettas were
staged.
A gathering of members of the Skittle Club at Kolmanskop. 1938.
In as early as 1908 the South African mining giant, De Beers, had been cautioned by its rep-
resentative, Leopold Herz, not to underestimate the discovery of “alluvial” diamonds in Ger-
man South West Africa. However, Francis Oates, chairman of the company, dismissed the
find as being nothing more than a “superficial” occurrence of small stones, not worthy of
concern and certainly not representing any competition for the rich finds at Kimberley. Nev-
ertheless, Oates paid a visit to Kolmanskop and the surrounding diamond fields, accompanied
by a number of other De Beers directors. The objective was to look into acquiring an interest
m the German mines. Nothing, however, came of this.
30
1 he situation remained unchanged until the end of 1914, when the South African Secretary
of Finance sent a letter to various mining concerns stating his ministry’s intention of holding a
conference of South African diamond producers to safeguard their mutual interests. Repre-
sentatives of the German Diamond Regie and the German colonial office were to attend this
conference. To gain more information about the German mines, De Beers sent a deputation
to investigate the South West African diamond fields. Among the delegates, in his capacity as
diamond expert, was Ernest Oppenheimer, managing director of the Anglo-American Corpo-
ration of South Africa Limited, and Alpheus S Williams, a general manager of De Beers.
In Liideritz the delegation met up with all South West Africa’s leading diamond producers,
including Stauch (Koloniale Bcrgbau Gesellschaft) and Kreplin, now the mayor of Liideritz
and owner of the company, Kolmanskop Diamanten Gesellschaft. Oppenheimer and Wil-
liams had long discussions with Stauch, who still firmly believed that they were mining only
part of a much larger diamond field, tine main source of which was yet to be discovered. On
June 15, 1914, soon after Oppenheimer and Williams had submitted their report to De Beers,
the conference of the main South African diamond producers took place in London.
It was attended by three representatives from De Beers, one from the Jagersfontein Mine, two
representing the South African government, the South African Commissioner of Inland Rev-
enue, a representative of the German colonial office, and Stauch, who represented the dia-
mond producers of South West Africa. It was agreed that a diamond pool with a board of
control would be the best way to regulate the output and sales of diamonds. To ensure inter-
national control of the diamond market, sales would be made only through the Diamond Syn-
dicate in London. On August 14, 1914, however, before this agreement could be put into
operation, war was declared, and all diamond-mining concerns were closed down.
The entire diamond industry came to a standstill, both in South Africa and German South
West Africa, following the outbreak of the First World War. The workers in South West Af-
rica’s diamond fields, numbering about 4 000 Owambos and 2 500 Cape Coloureds, were
sent home. Although there is no record to substantiate this, it is thought by some historians
that Zacharias Lewala, the man who had sparked off the diamond rush on German South
West Africa by his discovery of the first diamond near the siding of Kolmanskop, could well
have been among the men who were transported back to Cape Town in the Mincio, the sail-
ing-ship chartered for this purpose.
31

The diamond washing plant, Schicchelanlagc, used at Kolmanskop, 1911.
The German forces in South West Africa were soon outnumbered by die South African
troops and retreated northwards. They eventually surrendered on July 9, 1915 at Khorab near
Otavi, where the Treaty of Khorab was signed. All in all fighting had lasted for hardly a year.
When the German troops surrendered to die South African troops, the South West African
diamond concerns fell into the hands of die occupying power.
An application to reopen the diamond mines and resume mining operations w'as lodged by
the Liideritz Chamber of Mines. Nine companies were granted permission to resume mining,
but on a much smaller scale than previously, each receiving a monthly quota of only 10 000
carats. The objective was to maintain the current living conditions of the employees and to
prevent the machinery from falling into disuse. Diamonds had to be deposited at the National
Bank of South Africa Limited. Diamond mining in South West Africa was thus resumed in
September 1915.
32
1 he mining companies had been requested to maintain minimum production for tax pur-
poses. Surplus production was to be kept until the end of the war. This brought further devel-
opment of the industry to a standstill. Although not initially profitable, however, the market
slowly began to recover in 1916, and early in 1917 the Diamond Syndicate and De Beers ne-
gotiated a profit-sharing deal to purchase diamonds produced by German mining companies.
This arrangement would last until the end of the war in 1918.
After lhe war Dr Brich Liibbert, a Liideritz attorney who had been involved in diamond pro-
duction since 1910, shared his fears for lhe future of the German mining companies with Au-
gust Stauch. He believed that the only way to circumvent expropriation was to merge all the
South West African diamond interests with those of the South African producers.
At first Stauch resisted amalgamation, but Liibbert’s arguments finally won him over. In a
deal engineered by the diamond expert, Ernest Oppenheimer, the independence of the South
West African mines came to an end with the formation of a new company called Consolidated
Diamond Mines of South West Africa Ltd. CDM, as the company became known, was estab-
lished in Cape Town in January 1920 and its principals were not De Beers, the South African
diamond giant, but lhe Anglo-American Corporation, the most important gold group in Jo-
hannesburg, destined to become die largest empire of its kind in the world.
This was indeed a coup for Ernest Oppenheimer, since the world-wide recession following
the war and the flooding of the market by Russian diamonds had depressed prices to such an
extent that Anglo-American was able to buy out the individual German companies for a mere
3.5 million pounds Stirling, half of which the owners received in cash and the rest in shares.
Although the price was low, this had saved die desert-diamond industry from having to sell
out to the South African Smuts regime. Oppenheimer had also taken over the employees of
the German companies, so that the day-to-day running and German management style of the
companies continued as before. The managing director, Homlein. and plant manager, Kolle,
retained their posts. In 1925 the Union of South Africa established a diamond board for
South West Africa.
Kolmanskop’s death sentence came in 1928, when extensive diamond deposits were
discovered in ancient marine terraces north of the Orange River mouth. Stauch’s steadfast be-
lief in lhe existence of a far richer source from where the Kolmanskop diamonds stemmed
33
was thus proven to be correct. The discoveries were spectacular, with top-quality gem dia-
monds up to six times the size of those found near Kolmanskop, and the diamondiferous
gravel terraces seemed to stretch endlessly up the coast. CDM thus obtained the lion's share
of the Namib Desert’s diamond reserves.
In December 1929, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer became chairman of De Beers. He established
the Central Selling Organisation to replace the old Diamond Syndicate, which subsequently
controlled some 90 per cent of the world’s diamond sales. 'Hie diamond industry continued to
flourish until the worldwide depression of 1930, when the production of diamonds came to a
complete standstill. This lasted from June 30, 1932, until 1935.
Rubber traction bands were fined around the tyres of a regular truck,
enabling it to negotiate die loose desert sands.
Aiming interests now shitted south, and the mining town of Oranjemund, established in 1936,
became the centre of diamond-mining activities. By 1938 most of the workers and mining
equipment had been sent from Kolmanskop to Oranjemund. The worldwide depression of
the twenties and thirties had slowed down development of South West Africa’s diamond re-
sources, but by the 1940s mining had resumed in earnest. In 1943 CDM moved its headquar-
and all its administrate e offices from Kolmanskop to Oranjemund. As the new operation
34
at the mouth of the Orange River flourished, the small diamond settlements of Pomona,
Bogenfels, Elisabethbucht and Charlottental fell into decline. Soon they were abandoned to
the mercy of the desert winds and flying sand.
And what became of August Stauch, the man instrumental in the discovery of the first dia-
mond in German South West Africa and the founder and developer of Kolmanskop? When
the new company, CDM, was formed in 1920, he became one of its four German directors.
On conclusion of the formalities in Cape Town, Stauch returned to Germany, where he re-
newed his connections with the Aktiengesellschaft fur Verkehrswesen (AGV), the mother
company of the German railway companies which had operated in German South West Af-
rica, and of which he later became chairman.
At this point Stauch was at the pinnacle of his career. He involved himself in promoting the
emigration of farmers and settlers to the former German colonies - South West Africa, Ger-
man East Africa, logo, and the Camcroons - and formed a company to this end. In 1923 his
two older children, I Ians and Marianne, had completed their schooling, and accompanied
him and his wife Ida on a visit to South West Africa. The two younger children, 1 lelmut and
Kathe, stayed behind with relatives in Germany.
The Stauchs lived in a rented house in Windhoek, where they spent Christmas, and from
where they visited Stauch’s pride and joy, his farm Haribes. After visiting Liideritz and
Kolmanskop, they were taken to see his other farms, Rietfontein in die north, Dordabis in
the East and Hochfels in the Khomas Hochland. In mid-1923 Stauch registered a company
in Windhoek called the South West Africa Trust Company Limited, which became the um-
brella company for his farming activities and mining interests. By this time he had invested in
several mining concerns, primarily to produce tin. The family then returned to Berlin, where
Marianne commenced art studies under the Swiss professor, Johannes Itten. Stauch became
involved in various business undertakings in Europe, including the manufacturing of gramo-
phone records, for which he founded the Vox company. 'Hie company’s headquarters was in
Berlin.
Despite his business interests in Germany, he was spending more and more time in South
West Africa. Then, by the mid-twenties, his star began to fall. His mining companies, espe-
cially, were not doing well. He was still involved in settling German immigrants on farms in
35
Above, the general dealer’s store from the outside in 1925;
Below, the inside of the store.
South West Africa, and was largely re-
sponsible for the development of the
dairy industry in the country, having
built creameries at Gobabis, Omitara
and Ibenstein. He returned to Germany
in 1926, but the following year decided
to move permanently to South West
Africa.
Ida Stauch initially resisted the move,
but eventually agreed to pull up her
36
roots, leave Germany for good and settle permanently in South West Africa. The family home
at Zehlendorf was sold. Stauch and Marianne were the first to depart to South West Africa,
where Stauch bought a house in Windhoek. Ida arrived with the youngest daughter, Kathe,
some months later. However, the young Stauchs wished to continue their studies in Germany,
so Marianne returned to Berlin to resume her art lessons with Johannes Itten. She shared a
fiat with her brother Helmut, who was studying architecture. Hans studied law for a while,
and Kathe specialised in photography.
As a result of the world depression of the early thirties and the collapse of the international
mineral market, Stauch’s mining endeavours inevitably came to a standstill. Almost as meteor-
ically as his fortunes had risen, they now plummeted. Most of his developments had been
built on credit, and when word of his financial difficulties spread, his creditors started press-
ing him for payment. In 1930 the South West African Trust Company Limited was liqui-
dated, and he had to sell his farms Haribes, Rietfontein and Hochfcls, as well as his house in
Windhoek. Fortunately, with the help of loyal friends and die assistance of a leading bank in
Windhoek, he was able to retain his farm, Dordabis, but he was forced to sell all his other as-
sets, including Ida’s magnificent jewellery collection.
Nonetheless, true to his character, he remained ever cheerful and optimistic. I le setded down
to a quiet life on the farm Dordabis with Marianne, her Russian husband, Nikolai Krafft, and
his oldest son, Hans, who managed die farm widi the Kraffts. Ignoring the material world, he
became engrossed in the study of science, astronomy and philosophy. He attempted several
scientific writings, including a surprising treatise refuting Einstein’s theory of relativity. Then,
in the latter half of the 1930s, his health began to fail. What he had long thought was a heart
ailment, turned out to be stomach cancer.
In 1938 he departed for Germany, without die slightest inkling that he would never return to
his adopted country. After the war, when he applied for repatriation, he was told that he had
been denaturalised under Act 35 of 1942. No provision had been made for German nationals
to emigrate to the Union of South Africa, and his repeated applications were refused. He per-
sisted in his efforts to return to South West Africa, but to no avail. His health continued to de-
teriorate. His stomach pains were increasing and he was steadily losing weight. In February of
1947 he was admitted to the hospital at Eisenach. Here, aged 69, and painfully thin and
gaunt, he died on May 6. Only his youngest daughter, Kathe, was at his bedside.
37
In Windhoek the following obituary notice was published in the Allgemeine Zeitung of
June 11,1947:
“On May 6,1947, August Stauch died in Eisenach, not far from his birthplace, but far from
his family. His death leaves a feeling of sorrow in the widest circles of South West Africa. I lis
name like few others is closely linked with the development of this country.”
Kolmanskop was used as a transport depot until the fifties, as it had good storage facilities,
and was conveniently situated for goods being transported south to Oranjemund. In 1951,
following completion of the Oppenheimer bridge over the Orange River, a new railway track
was built connecting Oranjemund to the harbour town of Port Nolloth, 100 km further south.
This rendered the storage function of Kolmanskop obsolete, and the facility was closed down.
It wasn’t until 1956 that the hospital at Kolmanskop was finally closed down and die last in-
habitants left, leaving the once flourishing town to the mercy of the elements. As with the
other diamond settlements in the Sperrgebict, it loo became a ghost town. Movable equip-
ment that was still usable was taken down to Oranjemund by CDM. Fittings, doors, windows
and the Oregon pine flooring boards were plundered, finding their way into houses in
I .iideritz and the surrounding district, while memorabilia and artefacts and were collected as
souvenirs and taken away by tourists.
During the 1960s all the removable steel at Kolmanskop was taken away. Even the steel on the
railway tracks was collected and removed. The central washing area was blasted to obtain the
steel. At this stage no-one had given a thought to the potential the fast-disintegrating town
presented in terms of its industrial history and tourism possibilities.
It was onh in 19 9 that this aspect was considered. CDM commissioned an architectural
group to assess the potential of the ghost town in terms of developing it as a tourist attraction.
1 he well-known Namibian architect, Edda Schoedder, convinced CDM to employ the colo-
nial-style architect, Dr Walter Peters of the University of Natal, to submit a proposal to pre-
serve what was left ol Kolmanskop and render it suitable for viewing by tourists.
His recommendations were accepted, and in 1980 restoration of certain of the buildings was
commenced. A museum and tea-room were established in the old railway station. The house
38
next to it was renovated and furnished with original furniture of the time, as an example of
typical living conditions in a Kolmanskop dwelling. Some of the structures were left as they
were, so that visitors could see how the desert encroached on the buildings when the sand was
not removed.
At the end of 1980 the complex was opened for supervised tourist viewing. Since then guided
tours have been offered for visitors. Nowadays two tours are offered on weekdays and one on
Sundays and public holidays. Permits for these tours can be obtained in Liideritz. After a su-
pervised tour of approximately one hour, visitors arc allowed to explore the buildings at their
own reconnaissance, and to take photographs. They can also visit the museum, which con-
tains historical material, as well as displays depicting today’s diamond industry in Namibia,
with interesting information on the history, cutting and polishing of diamonds. Short docu-
mentary films relating to the diamond industry are shown here on request.
In 1981 renovations were commenced on the recreation centre, referred to now as lhe Casino
Complex. A large quantity of sand was removed from the various rooms, the windows were
repaired, a new ceiling was installed and the entire building was reinforced with steel to in-
crease its resistance against wind and sand storms. The magnificent wall friezes were cleaned
and touched up, and the wood on the wall panels and floors was treated with linseed oil. Elec-
trical installations were replaced and connected to the Liideritz power supply. In 2002 the res-
taurant/tea-room and shops were relocated in the Casino Complex and a facility where
visitors can buy cut diamonds, under the auspices of NamGem (post-independence diamond
manufacturing company) and managed by Howard Head, was installed. Howard Head is the
owner of Ghost Town Tours, the company that currently holds the concession to conduct
guided tours in Kolmanskop.
Renovations were also done to certain of the residences, reinforcing some of the roof beams to
prevent total collapse. 'lhe bottom floor of the house that had belonged to the accountant
Wiese is nearly filled to the ceiling with sand, so that visitors wanting to have a look at the top
floor have to crawl on all fours to reach the staircase, all of which adds to the experience. In
1999 renovations were commenced on the imposing residence of the plant manager, Leonhard
Kolle, as it was feared that this house, too, would finally be engulfed by the encroaching sands.
39
Due to wind and frequent sand storms, die ghost town is closed in the afternoons. Tourists
wanting to take photographs or film the town at dawn or dusk can obtain special permits at
Luderitzbuchi Safaris & Tours, the company belonging to a well-known resident of Liideritz,
Marion Schelkle.
In 1988 the first festivities since World War 11 took place in the Festivity Hall at Kolmanskop
to commemorate the 500-ycar anniversary of the planting of Dias Cross. Following Portu-
guese tradition, the Portuguese explorer, Bardiolomeu Dias - pioneer of the trade route
around the southern tip of Africa to access the rich spice trade of the East via the Indian
Ocean - erected a limestone padrao (cross) at Dias Point on July 25, 1488. Three hundred
guests attended this anniversary ball, where live music was played by the Windhoek Sym-
phony Orchestra. Since then, from time to time, the hall has been used for different festivities,
such as New Year’s balls.
In 1994 a partnership was formed between the government of the newly independent
Namibia and De Beers Centenary AG, replacing CDM with a new company called Namdcb.
For die time being Namdcb continues to maintain die buildings currently in use at
Kolmanskop for tourism purposes.
Kelt to die elements, the wind echoing dirough its broken windows and lopsided doors, the
rest ot the town is gradually succumbing to the encroaching sands of the Namib. Building up
in enormous piles against the crumbling walls, the dunes will slowly but inexorably push the
structures over and bury them, together with the shattered glass, rusting roofs, abandoned
machinery and other paraphernalia of the past.
Credits for historical photographs
National Archives of Namibia, Windhoek pp 25 top & centre. 28, 30
Sam Cohen Library, Swakopmund pp 11, 14,18 top. 19.20,27,36 top
Margarvthe Gicrz p 36 bottom
Helga Kohl p 15
Krafft Family p 8
Siggi Manns, Liideritz p 29
Or Gabi .Schneider pp 18 bottom, 25 bottom. 32.34
40
Introduction to the Portfolio
“Doing this project was like a marriage to me”
In the early 1980s Helga Kohl and her husband Dieter purchased a holiday house in Liideritz,
a tiny coastal town perched on Namibia’s rocky southern Atlantic coast. For the next 16 years
- in addition to catching rock lobster, sailing, beachcombing and exploring the surroundings -
the Kohls, with their two sons Thomas and Michael, spent much of their time at the coast
renovating the house, a solid structure built in 1903. It was in the early nineties that Helga
started her four-year task of photographing the crumbling buildings at Kolmanskop, the ghost
town situated 10 km east of Liideritz, in the so-called Sperrgcbiet.
As fate would have it, it was also in the early 1980s that some of the buildings at Kolmanskop
were restored by CDM (Consolidated Mining Company), the forerunner of Namdeb, and
that the complex was opened for supervised tourist viewing. Although I lelga often visited the
newly installed museum and buildings at Kolmanskop, it was only a decade later that the idea
of compiling a photographic record of the town was conceived, and that she embarked on her
four-year mission to photograph as much of the buildings as she could before the encroaching
dunes buried them altogether.
“I was fascinated with these empty buildings from the beginning, especially the interiors, but it
was only later that something clicked and I got going. After that photographing them became
the focal point of my existence when we were in Liideritz. The more I worked, the more there
seemed to be done. Some of the rooms had whole sand dunes in them, and when the after-
noon light fell on the sand through an open door or window, or filtered through from another
room, it was magic. There were so many different angles to try. Sometimes the sun highlighted
an old rusting bath tub or stove. Sometimes it came through the top of a broken roof, and
contrasting stripes of light and shadow filled the room. There were many times when I became
so excited, I couldn’t take the pictures fast enough. The possibilities seemed limitless.
“Doing this project was like a marriage for me. It probably also had something to do with the
renovations we were doing to our house at that time. Edda Schoedder, the well-known
Namibian architect, advised us about the different greens and blues we should use to paint
41
the walls of our house. This somehow tied up with the interiors I was photographing in Kol-
manskop, where many of the rooms had wonderful blue and green walls. Others were brown
or yellow, and some had Jugendstil borders and paintings in them, still preserved after so
many years.
“For me there must be a balance between the light and the subject I’m photographing. I can’t
tell exactly what happens when I see something I want to photograph. It’s a feeling more than
anything else. Many days al Kolmanskop it was like a puzzle trying to figure out how to do it
and when the light would be best to get the perfect picture. On some days I went back to the
same room over and over again to get it right. The mornings are better as far as the weather is
concerned, but I prefer lhe softer light in the afternoons. Often the wind started blowing after
twelve or one o’clock, and sometimes the sandstorms were so bad that I couldn’t do any work
for days on end. Other times it was too overcast. It wasn’t always easy.”
Having selected the 61 transparencies for the Kolmanskop Portfolio from an immense body
of work. Helga and I went to Kolmanskop in April 2000 to identify the rooms and buildings
where she had taken the photographs. This was an elucidating experience for both of us; tor
Helga because of the many changes that had occurred in the intervening years, and for myself
to appreciate how much thought, energy, patience and technical expertise she had poured into
accomplishing her four-year mission.
In the few days we spent there, we experienced one of the sand storms dial occur in the area
with regular frequency. All we could do was grit our teeth, button our jackets and lean for-
ward against the wind while making our way from building to building with our list of selected
images. Helga had devised a grid plan which we were to follow. With Germanic precision she
piloted me accordingly, and there was no turning back! If anything, this added to the experi-
ence, as it increased my appreciation for the task Helga had set herself and accomplished with
such single-minded fervour.
At the same time it conjured up visions, especially of the wives and children of the mining en-
gineers, builders and other professional men, who had been brought from a comfortable exis-
tence in a sophisticated German city or town to this remote desert outpost. W’hether the sun
42
was shining, the wind was howling or the sand was flying, the women in their long dresses and
hats went about their daily business, regardless of the elements - pretty much as we were do-
ing now. Those everyday conveniences they had always taken for granted without a thought
were now no longer available, such as water, limited to a daily allocation per person. If you
needed more, you had to buy it at a premium. No less was I impressed by the inventiveness
and optimism of those early pioneers who had created this bustling little nucleus, designed
and built from steel, bricks and mortar to last as if they were going to live there forever.
Over the years CDM was regularly approached by filming companies, fashion houses and
other commercial enterprises to use Kolmanskop as a sening for feature films, documentaries,
fashion and other promotional shoots. The filming teams and photographers were asked to
disturb as little as possible, but they nevertheless moved objects around to suit their purposes,
swept the sand out of certain of the buildings, and trampled over the dunes which had built
up in the rooms. The latter aspect is especially distressing. The dunes that curve so elegantly
through a doorway into the next room, their crests sharp and clean, the ripples undisturbed,
are often what make Helga’s compositions so pristine and magical. Another factor is, of
course, the day-to-day wear and tear caused by wind and weather. As time goes by roofing
will inevitably collapse, and the walls will be pushed over by encroaching dunes, and eventu-
ally disappear altogether.
A case in point is Plate 1, which we had considerable trouble locating, because the dune in the
foreground had been flattened completely. There is now a piece of corrugated roof lying in
the doorway, several planks have been thrown over the beautifully side-lit dune in the back
room, and the tin on the left, one of the focal points in this stunning image, is no longer there.
The wav the subject matter had become dissipated since the photograph had been taken was
depressing, to say the least. On the other hand, Helga had captured the scene on film before it
was destroyed, and her unique image is now reproduced tor posterity in this wonderful book.
We were reminded once again of the ephemeral nature ot things, especially in the desert, and
of how life itself is always changing. As many writers, poets and philosophers have said in dif-
ferent ways, “The desert is the great equaliser.
The Recreation Centre (Tumhalle), referred to today as the Casino Complex, is one of the
buildings that was renovated by CDM for tourist viewing. It is kept clear of sand, as can be
seen in Plates 18, 19, 20 and 21. The classic composition of Plate 19, for which Helga won a
43
Profoto Award, and which was included in the portfolio she submitted to attain her Associate-
ship in Architecture in 1995, has, in fact, benefited from the restoration and the fact that its
lines arc uncluttered by sand and other objects.
As wc worked our way through the buildings, it became increasingly clear how crucial it had
been for I lelga, when compiling the portfolio, to set the tripod up in good time to release the
shutter at exactly the right moment. While the angle of the light depends on the lime of day,
its density is influenced by the amount of cloud or coastal mist there is at the lime. An exam-
ple of how different the same interior can look in terms of light density is clearly illustrated in
Plates 6 & 7. These two images are of the same scene and were taken from the same angle,
but at first glance look completely different. In Plate 6 the light is relatively soft, while Plate 7,
taken on a cloudless day probably at noon, has far more contrast, and is a much more graphic
image.
The strength of Plate 4 lies as much in the virtually symmetrical diagonal lines created by the
door frames and dune, as in the angle of the light and the fact that it is somewhat subdued,
perfect for this particular image. The white of the door frames and section of the wall above
appear to be same light cream colour as the sand in the foreground, so that the image has vir-
tually only two colours — light cream and the rich warm brown of the walls, broken only by
die Jugendstil border.
One of my favourite images in the Portfolio is Plate 43. The stairway, beautifully lit by die af-
ternoon sun, leads upwards to the bedrooms on the top floor of the Accountant’s I louse. One
can imagine children racing up these stairs, ignoring the banister, maybe catching hold of it
on the landing as they swing exuberandy around the corner on their way down. The wooden
frame seems symbolic of an upward journey, signifying the spirit of those early inhabitants, as
well as a downward one, the weather-beaten wood suggesting the ultimate decline of the town.
Today, to reach this part of the house, you have to bend almost double and crawl dtrough die
opening visible at the bottom right-hand section of the frame. Soon this gap will completely
fill up with sand, and this image, too, will be lost forever.
1 found die following passage particularly relevant to the work Helga has done in Kolmanskop.
It was written by John Szarkowski in his introduction to The Portfolios of Ansel Adams and re-
fers to the great American photographer’s contribution to the history of modern photography.
44
“Serious photographers believe that photography is something larger and more inclusive than
the sum of all photographs made thus far, larger even than those dial will be made in the fu-
ture, and that lhe chief adventure of the medium lies not in using what is known but in learn-
ing more. It seems clear that the best, most interesting photographers have indentured
themselves to this ideal, and that this generic artistic ambition has taken precedence over the
claims of the specific subject matter with which they have chosen to work.”
Helga was born in Silesia and emigrated with her family to West Germany in 1958. She was
given her first camera when she was 12, starting a lifelong passion for and involvement in
photography. After completing high school, she enrolled at the Christoph Bathe Photo Studio
in Munster, Westfalen to study the techniques of photography. Two and a half years later she
was examined by the Chamber of Trade in Munster, to pass as a fully-qualified photographer.
During this period she also attended evening classes in fine art and art photography at the
Susanne Walter Art Studio. For the next six years - from 1964 to 1970 - she travelled and
worked in several centres in Europe, concentrating principally on architecture, landscape,
portraiture and fashion.
In 1970 Helga moved to Namibia. She worked at Photo Studio Von Gerlach in Walvis Bay for
a year, and it was during this period that she met her husband, Dieter, in the coastal town of
Swakopmund, 30 km north of Walvis Bay. They married in 1971. and settled in Windhoek,
where their two sons, Thomas and Michael, were born. In 1975 she established herself as a
freelance photographer, focusing on architectural and aerial photography. She also did docu-
mentary work on die Bushman (San) in the eastern regions of the country.
I ler work was first exhibited in Windhoek in 1983 at the Arts Association on the corner of
Robert Mugabe Avenue and John Meinert Street. Following the independence of Namibia in
1990, this organisation became the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN). On this first
exhibition she collaborated with the late Doreen Hildenhagen. a well-known Namibian potter
and ceramics artist. Since then she has presented several solo exhibitions in Windhoek,
Swakopmund and Cape Town, the culmination of which was a small but key exhibition in the
Shop Gallery at NAGN in 1999, featuring die portfolio for which she was awarded her Fel-
lowship in Fine Art by the Professional Photographers of Southern Africa (PPSA). This sig-
nificant portfolio is discussed furdicr on.
45
A passionate promoter of photography as an art form throughout her career, Helga also ex-
hibited in group exhibitions in Johannesburg, Harare and Glasgow, as well as the Namibia
Today Independence Exhibition in 1990, and the prestigious Standard Bank Biennale, the
most important event on the Namibian arts calendar. During 1995 her work was displayed at
two exhibitions presented as part of the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in Windhoek. In 2000
she represented Namibia at the SADC Art and Crafts Festival, and presented the first inter-
national workshop in photography in the SADC (Southern African Development Commu-
nity) Region, and in 2001 was awarded the first prize for photography in the Standard Bank
Biennale.
Helga’s work is represented in the Permanent Collection at NAGN and in a large number of
private collections in Namibia, West Germany, France, England, the United States of Amer-
ica, Australia, the Republic of South Africa and Hong Kong. Her photographs have been
published in books, magazines and catalogues in Namibia, South Africa and abroad. She
served on the committee of the Namibia Arts Association (now Namibia’s National Art Gal-
lery) for four years, and was a founder member of the Art and Crafts Guild of Namibia.
An important aspect of Helga's photography in a historical and art context is the documenta-
tion of work by Namibian artists and craftspeople for the files and catalogues of the National
Art Gallery. She was appointed official photographer for the artwork reproduced in the book
An in Namibia, the first comprehensive reference work on Namibian art and artists, past and
present. 1 he book, published in 199’’ by NAGN in collaboration with the Spanish Ambassa-
dor to Namibia at the time, German Zurita у Saenz de Navarette, was funded by the Cooper-
ation Espanola Embassy of the European Community. In 1998 Helga received an Mbapira
Award (Namibian literary award) for her outstanding contribution to this book.
Current work includes the documenting of colonial houses in Windhoek, Otjimbingwc,
Liideritz and Swakopmund, and contemporary architecture in the capital and other towns in
the country. A recent project was a joint exhibition with myself entitled Impressions of Egypt,
featuring photographs we took on a trip to Egypt in December 1999. The exhibition was pre-
sented in the Main Gallery at NAGN from September 19 to October 7, 2000.
46
The Professional Photographers of Southern Africa (PPSA) is the representative body for
practising photographers and organisations involved in the photographic industry in Southern
Africa. Its headquarters are in Johannesburg in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The
institute has about 450 accredited members, the majority of whom arc Licentiates, just over
30 are Associates and about a dozen arc Fellows.
Helga became a Licentiate Member of the PPSA in 1989. In 1993 she won die PPSA Presi-
dent’s Award. In 1995 she was awarded her Associateship in Architecture and in 1998, her
Fellowship in Fine Art. During this period she won several Fuji PROFOTO Awards, an event
that has been presented annually by the PPSA since 1988 and is regarded as the premier
showcase for professional photography in Southern Africa.
The remarkable portfolio with which she attained her Fellowship consists of classic studies of
light and shadow- taken of buildings in Windhoek. Bob Cnoops, who was one of the judges at
the 1998 fellowship awards, had the following to say about this portfolio:
Clever and insightful use of compositional elements; produced evocative and provocative statements
in abstracted visual form; the colour components were highly emotional in a visual psychological
framework, while the forms and textures provided the tensions and reliefs in a perpetual motion of
sons. As such the images became a succession of powerful visually induced emotions. As a submission
for fellowship status, the judges were unanimous that it was worthy of the award.
An aspect of practising photography in Namibia that has frustrated both 1 lelga and myself tor
many years is the question of whether photography is an art form or not. Considering that
over 150 years ago, in the Victorian era when the first Daguerreotype images were produced,
photography was heralded as a new art form, this is curious indeed. The following is an ex-
tract from an editorial published by the Photographic Society of London in its journal on the
eve of its second annual exhibition and the Paris Exhibition of 185?.
“Photography is undoubtedly to be regarded as a Fine Art, in reference to the production of the origi-
nal impressions obtained in the camera. Taste, acquaintance with the pictorial value of natural effects,
47
and an eye educated in the observation of the Picturesque, the beautiful and the sublime tn nature,
are requisites in lhe true photographic artist, as in the painter.”
'lb my mind the 61 images in the Kolmanskop Portfolio have everything that is required to
qualify them as lasting works of art. On the one hand they arc evocative and complex, on the
other simple and pure, answering to.lite classical demands of composition, angle of light and
technical expertise. Indeed, they have lhe most important ingredient of all - a sense of mys-
tery that transcends lhe reality of what Helga spent four years recording through her lens, of-
ten under difficult and trying circumstances.
The images evoke not only the excitement and frenetic activity of Kolmanskop at its highest
pinnacle of development, but also the greed of opportunists, and the frantic scramble of the
early miners and prospectors to peg their claims. At the same time they reflect lhe vision, en-
thusiasm and inventiveness of the man who was instrumental in the discovery of the first dia-
mond, the intrepid railway official from Germany, August Stauch. They bear testimony to lhe
ingenuity of the architects, engineers and builders who constructed lhe town, and their sud-
den departure to greener pastures, heralding its inevitable decline. Even today, as lhe wind re-
verberates through the hollow shells of the buildings, they seem to whisper of the hopes and
dreams of these intrepid pioneers, and to echo with the laughter of their children.
It is capturing this magic that constitutes the lasting value and aesthetic appeal of Helga’s
magnum opus, its haunting images leaving die viewer both uplifted and saddened by their
quiet, evocative beauty.
Amy Schoeman
48
The Kolmanskop Portfolio
by Helga Kohl
49
Hate I
I лм House left of Museum
51
Plate 2
ЧЪс Engineers House
52
Plate 3
Family Accommodation
53
Plate 4
First House right of School
54
Plate 5
First House left of Museum
55
Plate 6
Fourth House left of Museum
56
Plate 7
Fourth House left of Museum
57
Plate 8
Baker’s House
58

Plate 9
Baker’s House
59


Plate 11
Telephone Exchange
61
Plate 12
Architect's House
62
Plate 13
Architect’s House
63
Plate 14
Architect’s House
64
Plate 15
Architect’s House
65

Plate 16
\ iew of Kolmanskop
66
Plate 17
Exterior of the Recreation Hall
67
Plate 18
Recreation I lull
68
^ккккккккккккк^
Plate 19
Recreation Hall
69
Plate 20
Recreation Hall
70
Plate 21
Recreation Hall
71
Plate 22
Mine Manager's House
72

Plate 23
Unidentified
73
Plate 24
Accountant's House
74

Hate 25
Mine Manager's House
75

Plate 26
Doctor’s House
76
Plate 27
Engineer's 1 louse
77

Plate 28
Interior of 1 lospital
78
1
i
Hate 29
Main entrance of I lospiuil
79
Plate 30
Quartermaster s House
80
Plate 31
Engineers House
81
Plate 32
Family Accommodation
82

Plate 33
Family Accommodation
83
Plate 34
Family Accommodation
84
Plate 35
Family Accommodation
85
Plate 36
Fourth House right of Schoo!
86
Plate 37
Architect’s House
87


Plate 38
Teacher’s House
88

Plate 39
Engineer’s House
89

Plate 40
Quartermaster's House
90
Plate 41
Accommodation for Ice factory & Butchery Staff
91
Plate 42
Second I louse left of Museum
92
Plate 43
Accountant’s House
I
Plate 44
Hurd House right of School
94
Plate 45
I _ast House left of Museum
95
Plate 46
I -ast House left of Museum
96
Plate 47
Engineer’s House
97
Plate 48
Family Accommodation
98
Plate 49
Family Accommodation
99
Plate 50
Family Accommodation
100
Plate 51
Quartermaster’s House
101
Plate 52
School
102
Plate 53
School
103


Plate 54
Baker’s House
104
Plate 55
Family Accommixiation
105

Plate 56
l-'amily Accommodation
106
Plate 57
Family Accommodation
107
Plate 58
Accommodation for Apprentices
108
Plate 59
Second House left of Museum
109
Plate 60
Mine Manager’s House
110
Plate 61
Accommodation for Ice Factory & Butchery Stall
111
Helga Kohl
was born in Silesia and educated in Germany, where she studied
and qualified in the techniques of photography in Munster,
Westfalen. In 1970 she moved to Namibia and settled in
Windhoek, and in 1975 she established herself as a free-lance
photographer, focusing on architectural and aerial photography,
and documentary work on the Bushmen/San in the eastern sec-
tions oi the country. Since then she has presented solo exhibi-
tions in Windhoek, Swakopmund and Cape Town, and has
participated in many group exhibitions. Her work is represented
in the Permanent Collection of the Arts Association in Windhoek
and in private collections in Namibia, West Germany, France,
England, USA, Switzerland, Australia, RSA and Hong Kong.
An important aspect of her photography is the documentation of the work of Namibian artists for the
files and catalogues of the National Art Gallery of Namibia, which culminated in the book Art in
Namibia, published in 1996. Helga holds a PPSA (Professional Photographers of Southern Africa)
Associateship in Architecture and a Fellowship in Fine Art Photography.
Amy Schoeman
was born in England and educated in Namibia and South
Africa, where she obtained a B. Comm. (Law) degree at the
University of Stellenbosch. After spending a number of years in
Europe, mainly London and Paris, she returned to Namibia in
1974. In 1977 she was appointed journalist photographer at the
Department of Nature Conservation and Tourism, and a few
years later as head of public relations. She left the Department in
1985, and established herself as a free-lance writer, feature jour-
nalist, photographer and editor based in Windhoek. Her first
book, Skeleton Coast, initially published in 1984, was redesigned,
updated and republished in 1996. Other publications include
Notes on Nature; a photographic book. Tones & Textures; and
fiction. Mirage & other stories. She currently writes and does copy editing for Travel News Namibia,
Namibia Holiday & Travel, Namibia Trade Directory, Namibia Yearbook and Flamingo magazines. Amy
holds two PPSA Fellowships, one in Environmental Photography and the other in Fine Art Photogra-
phy. In 2003 she won the Photography Award in the Standard Bank Biennale.
115
Legend
1	School
2	Hospital
3	Doctor's house
4	Family accommodation
5	Engineer's house
6	Quartermaster’s house
7	Accountant’s house
8	Architect’s house
9	Mine Manager’s house
10	Casino/Recreation hall
11	Old shop
12	Shopkeeper’s house
13	Ice factory & butchery
14	Accommodation for ice factory and butchery staff
15	Accommodation for apprentices
16	Bakery
17	Baker’s house
18	Main reservoir (seawater)
116

о
117
Index (historical text)
Aktiengesellschaft fiir Verkehrswesen (AGV) 35
Alluvial diamond fields 20
diamonds 20-21, 30
Anglo-American Corporation 31,33
Anichab 26
Antwerp monopoly 22
Aus 9-10, 13
Hahnntcistcr (August Stanch) 11
Bengucla Current 21
Bergtechnisches I^iboralorium 13
Bogenfels 9, 26,35
Bogenfels rock arch 9.22
Cape Coloureds 31
Casino 27
Casino Complex 39
CDM 33,34,35,38,40
Central Selling Organisation 34
Central washing plant 25
Charlottental 9,17,26,35
Coleman, Johnny 9
Consolidated Diamond Mines of South West
Africa Ltd (CDM) 33
Cornell, Fred 17
Culture 29
Darmstadter Bank 18
De Beers 31,33
De Beers Centenary AG 40
De Beers Company 19
De Beers Mine 18
De Beers, South African diamond giant 21,30
1 )ernburg, Dr Bernhard 18-19
Deutsche Kolonial-Eiscnbahnbau- und
Betriebsgescllschaft 10
Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft fiir Sudwestafrika
(DKG) 13,19
Dcutsch-Sudwestafrikaniiche Zeil ting 14
Diamant Regie des Siidwestafrikanischen
Schutzgebietes 20
Diamanten Aktiengesellschaft 20
Diamond fever 15
Diamond settlements (Sperrgebiet) 38
terraces 21
Diamond Syndicate 22, 31,33, 34
Diamondiferous gravel terraces 34
Diamonds, Russian 33
Dias Cross 40
Dias Point 40
Dias, Bartholomeu 40
Die Deutschen Diamanten und ihre Gcwinnung 14
Dordabis 35, 37
Eisenach 38
Elisabethbucht 9,26,27,35
Entertainment 30
Entertainment hall 27
Ettenhausen an der Suhl 10
Festivity Hall 27,40
Fossilised warm-water oyster shells 21
Gambling saloons 30
Garub 26
Garub Pan 25
German Diamond Regie 31
Ghost Town 'Fours 39
Gibcon 12
Gobabis 36
Grasplatz 11
Griffith Bay 27
Grillental 17,26
Guided tours 39
Haribes 35,37
Head, Howard 39
Herz, I .eopold 30
Hexenkessel 22
Hochfels 35,37
Homiein, I Ians 24, 33
Hospital 26, 38
Huessmann 24
Ibcnslein 36
Ida’s Valley 22
Idatal 22
Itten, Prof Johannes 35,37
Jagersfontein Mine 31
Jammerbucht 26
Keetmanshoop 17
Khorab 32
Kimberley 12,14
Kirchhoff 24
Klinghardt, Georg 22
Kolle, Leonhard 23, 28, 33, 39
Kolmanskop Diamanten Gesellschaft 31
Kolmanskuppe Gesellschaft 20
Kolonialc Bergbau Gesellschaft 20
Konigliche Bergakademic zu Berlin 21
Krafft, Nikolai 37
Krcplin (Mayor) 31
Kreplin (OberbaJinmeister) 13
Kubub 22
Kuibis 21
118
Lenz and Co 10
I .cwala, Zacharias 12, 13-14
I .iibbert, Dr Erich 33
Liideritz Chamber of Mines 32
Liideritz, Adolf 13
Liideritzbucht Elektrizitatsgesellschaft 26
1 Aideritzbucht Safaris & Tours 40
Marchental 22
Mcrensky, Dr 1 Ians 20
Aiindo 31
Modder River 12
Namdeb 40
NamGem 39
National Bank of South Africa Limited 32
Nissen, Sonke 13
Oates, Francis 30
Oberbahnrneister Kreplin 13
Obituary notice (August Stauch) 38
Omitara 36
Oppenheimer bridge 38
Oppenheimer, Ernest 31,33
Orange River mouth 33
Orange River 12
Oranjcmund 34,38
Owambo contract workers 30
labourers 26
workers 23
Owambos 31
Peters. Dr Waller 38
Peterson, Emil 24
Peyer, Dr 13
Pomona 9, 21—22, 26, 35
Port Nolloth 38
Post office 24
Premier Mine 18
Prinzenbuchl 27
Radford Bay 27
Railway line (between Liideritz and Aus) 10-11
Range. Dr Paul 15-16, 20
Rathcnau, Walther 18
Recreation centre 27
Recreation hall 30
Regie 20,22
Reinshagen. Dr 16
Rietfontcin 35,37
Scheibe. Prof Robert 21
Schelkle, Marion 40
Schmidt, GF 20
Schocdder, Edda 38
Schuster 20
Schutztruppe 10
Striking steam ovens 24
stoves 28
Skittle alley J7
Social life 30
South African diamond producers 31
South West Africa Trust Company Limited 35,37
Sperrgebiet (Prohibited Area) 19,22
Station 25
Stauch, Andreas 10
August 10-14,16-17,24,28,31,33,35-38
Hans 35,37
Helmut 35,37
Ida 35,36
Kathe 35,37
Marianne 35,37
Steam baths 27
Sudwestafrikamsches Minensyndikat 13
Tennis courts 27
Theatrical productions 29
Treaty of Khorab 32
Turnhalle (gymnasium) 27
Urkundc (certificate) 27
Vox company 35
Weidel 24
Weidtmann, Max 13
Weiss and De Meillon Company 21
Weiss, De Meillon and Co 20
Wiese 24,39
Williams, Alpheus S 31
Wmdhuker Nachric/шп 14
Wiisten Kbnig 27
X-ray machine 26
Zehlendorf 37
Zillcrtal 17
119