Helmeringhausen (Namibia)
Helmeringhausen is a place in southern Namibia . It is located in the ǁKaras region (constituency Berseba ) at the intersection of the main roads C13 and C14 , about 200 kilometers northeast of Lüderitz and about 400 kilometers south of Windhoek . In 2008 Helmeringhausen consisted of eight buildings on the site of the farm of the same name and has eleven permanent residents.
history
Hubert Hester, a member of the German protection force , who was born on October 30, 1885 in the town of the same name in the Hochsauerlandkreis ( Germany ), founded Helmeringhausen during the colonial era .
In 1908 Hester came with the Schutztruppe to German South West Africa to put down the Herero and Nama uprising. After the fighting ended, Hester stayed in the colony and initially worked on a farm called "Brons". In 1919, Hester bought this farm, which had a total area of 10,700 hectares, and henceforth called it Helmeringhausen.
In order to keep the extremely isolated settlement alive economically and socially in its founding years, Hester traveled every 10 to 14 days by horse-drawn carriage to Bethanien , 80 km away , in the first few years after his farm purchase to purchase everyday objects and other goods. At that time, the trip to and from Bethanien took a good 4 days.
In retrospect, Hester's way of acting helped, among other things, that Helmeringhausen developed into the central point of contact for the farmers in the area, especially since he took their mail with him on every trip to Bethanien or brought mail from there. This made a lasting contribution to the growing regional importance of his farm.
In 1922 Hester married Hilde Luise b. Kaempffer, with whom he managed the Helmeringhausen farm until the end of his life. Hester's grave, as well as that of some of his successors, have been preserved in Helmeringhausen and can be visited. Descendants of the family live in the area and in Windhoek.
A military grave from the time of German South West Africa is located 20 kilometers south of the town near the main road C20 .
Authenticity of history
While the founding of Helmeringhausen by Hubert Hester is undisputed today, there are still some contradictions with regard to certain dates. For example, most sources indicate that Hester came to German South West Africa in 1908, while the year 1907 is mentioned occasionally. While most sources see Hester's acquisition of the Helmeringhausen farm in 1919, others assume it was in 1922.
Infrastructure, economy and tourism
Despite its small size, Helmeringhausen plays an important role as a supply station for the surrounding farm areas. There is a gas station , supermarket , post office and tennis courts , among other things . Because of its proximity to the Tiras Mountains, there are some tourist facilities available (for example the Helmeringhausen Hotel and guest farm with restaurant and campsite ; also a small agricultural museum with tools from the colonial era ). Helmeringhausen is the seat of the farmers' association of the same name.
Later, the Karakul sheep breeding made the place known, which is still practiced today in addition to cattle and goat farming.
Personalities
- Dawid Minaar , South African actor
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g The West (2008): In the Sauerland and Namibia: Helmeringhausen is there twice , April 26, 2013
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Travelnews.com.na: Cape to Namibia with time to explore ( Memento from July 3, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ), April 26, 2013 (English)
- ↑ a b c d e f Helmeringhausennamibia.com: An oasis in the Namib Desert , April 26, 2013
- ↑ a b c d e f g Temba.co.za: Hotel Helmeringhausen , April 26, 2013 (English)
- ↑ a b c d e f Klaus Dierks (2004): Biographies of Namibian Personalities: H , April 26, 2013 (English)
- ↑ Coordinates of the grave site: 26 ° 00'18.35 "S 016 ° 58'56.6" E
Coordinates: 25 ° 53 ′ S , 16 ° 49 ′ E