Kolmanskuppe Tree and Church!

[Malcolm Bertoni]

Thanks for clearing up the Eberlanz plaque mystery Hennie.
 
Some stuff about Kolmans:
Evidently there were two resident doctors: Dr Kraenzle who gave the patients wine for medicinal purposes - the hospital even had a wine cellar! The other doctor was a Dr von Lossow who encouraged his patients to eat a raw onion each day.

A popular outing on weekends for the people of Kolmans was to Elizabeth Bay; to a hotel called Wusten Konig (Desert King) where hot meals could be bought.

There was an engineer Hans Horlein who worked for Stauch and later for CDM when they took over in 1920 - he travelled by horse to Oranjemund every month.  Must have been a big trip.  I wonder how long it would have taken.  He was also responsible for the planning of the Elizabeth Bay township.

Just for interest: the first weather station was started at Warmbad by the Rhenish missionaries in 1885.

Fascinating stuff.  Keep it coming.

Malcolm

[Uwe Leube]

Some photos taken on my last visit to Oranjemund - we were fortunate to be taken up to Pomona on a trip at the time (December 1999). There has obviously been a tremendous amount of work that has gone into cleaning/restoring pomona since then.

[Leon Sumter]

@Malcome
"A popular outing on weekends for the people of Kolmans was to Elizabeth Bay; to a hotel called Wusten Konig (Desert King) where hot meals could be bought."
I wonder which of these two e/bay buildings was the Wusten Konig hotel.
@Uwe
Thanks for those pics. Shame not exactly 5 star accommodation for the migrant workers.

[Leon Sumter]

@Dianne
Dianne your grandfather was probably a diesel mechanic judging from his photos of E/bay. That's probably why you father also became a diesel (a very good one at that I might add) mechanic. Perhaps Alf can confirm this.
I have an idea that your grandfather's e/bay house in the one on the extreme left.

[henniek]

Uwe , thanks for the pictures- re your one with the bed - I must just find the one I took about 32 years ago. It will be good to compare how slow disintegration was over time.
Malcolm . Kurt Eberlanz . He was a keen sportsman who encouraged Oranjemund residents to participate . He also trained people to swim - On 14 February 1937 the 30 year old Kurt took his pupils down to the river for a training session . When one got in difficulty , he went to assist . The pupil was saved thanks to the help of others - but the fast flowing river swept Kurt out to sea , and he was not seen again .

[Michael Alexander]

@Hennie, The Eberlanz Memorial Stone can be seen on the following link:

LINK: http://www.oranjemundonline.com/Jasper.html

[henniek]

Kolmanskop and all the other little mining havens were staffed  almost exclusively by Germans and when  war broke out , they were all interned and the mines closed down untill such time when replacement staff were recruited or transfered from the mines at Kimberley an Cullinan . I can very well remember the bitter tears when the men left and the woman and children were left behind . Suddenly we were all part of a war we had nothing to do with , and that was taking place thousands of miles away from where we were living in peace .
I can better remeber that my farther remarked that at least two Germans were glad to see the South African troops , and they  were the owner of a pleasure house and her accomplice – they were jailed for illicit diamond dealings  , and when the SA troops arrived in Luderitz , they just opened the jaildoors and set them free.
The owner got the diamonds for services and drinks when the client's money ran out . She hid her diamonds in the false bottom of the kennel of her fierce dog
My parents were disgusted about this place right next to the church on Diamant berg . The hill so named because of all the broken  bottles that were littering the hill . All of them being thrown out through the windows .  In the sunlight  , These broken bottles glittered like huge diamond . hence the name Diamant berg .
But what I can remeber even better , is the wonderfull times we had , The freedom , the joys and the pleasures . The mutual coherent way of living  , a special quality in the caracter of an  Spergebiett sibling 

Leon - this is more or less everything I have about the memories Of Marianne - only a last bit that she said about August Stauch . I will post it Tomorrow.

[Alfred Boehme]

another angle of pomona house tree sticking out

[Alfred Boehme]

A few more photo's of Kolmans and E-Bay

[Alfred Boehme]

more

[Alfred Boehme]

more

[Alfred Boehme]

more

[Alfred Boehme]

last few found these on a lost CD

[SandyB]

Wow  fascinating ,  huge houses ,, even a hotel built  in the middle of nowhere ..

[Leon Sumter]

"Kolmanskop and all the other little mining havens were staffed  almost exclusively by Germans and when  war broke out , they were all interned and the mines closed down untill such time when replacement staff were recruited or transfered from the mines at Kimberley an Cullinan . I can very well remember the bitter tears when the men left and the woman and children were left behind . Suddenly we were all part of a war we had nothing to do with , and that was taking place thousands of miles away from where we were living in peace .
I can better remeber that my farther remarked that at least two Germans were glad to see the South African troops , and they  were the owner of a pleasure house and her accomplice – they were jailed for illicit diamond dealings  , and when the SA troops arrived in Luderitz , they just opened the jaildoors and set them free.
The owner got the diamonds for services and drinks when the client's money ran out . She hid her diamonds in the false bottom of the kennel of her fierce dog
My parents were disgusted about this place right next to the church on Diamant berg . The hill so named because of all the broken  bottles that were littering the hill . All of them being thrown out through the windows .  In the sunlight  , These broken bottles glittered like huge diamond . hence the name Diamant berg ."

Hennie here is the actual record of the Green House and Mrs Zimmer