Tsumeb Namibia Information
The town was founded over 100 years ago as an important copper mining town and is today the capital town of the Oshikoto Region of northern
TSUMEB NAMIBIA. The town was founded over 100 years ago as an important copper mining town and is today the capital town of the Oshikoto Region of northern Namibia.
Once home of the TCL Mine and the world's most diversified ore body
J ust prior to the surrender of the Kaiser's Forces to the Union of South Africa troops on 9 July 1915 at kilometre 500 , a group of Schutztruppe having been driven further and further north with no chance of being re-supplied with arms or ammunition arrived at Lake Otjikoto some 20 km north of Tsumeb. It was here that they decided to dump the heavier of their remaining equipment into the lake rather than allow it to fall into enemy hands. Legend has it that one of the German soldiers ankles became entangled in the rigging as the cannons were being pushed off the ledge and he was dragged down and drowned. His ghost is said to haunt the area around the lake.
The South African Union troops recovered the majority of the equipment in 1915, much of which was cleaned and serviced and saw action in the East Africa campaign.
Of Interest: The Bushmen called the place 'Tsomsoub' which means, 'to dig a hole in loose ground'.
The town's motto is from the old German miner's greeting, 'Gluck Auf" (May luck be with you and bring you up safely)
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