Have you ever held a piece of history in your hands? Right here before you stands the Swakopmunder Buchhandlung. This isn’t just any bookstore. It’s a living testament to Swakopmund’s past. Founded on January 31 1900 by Emil Höhne it was more than just a place to buy books.
Imagine Swakopmund at the turn of the 20th century. A small town growing rapidly under German colonial rule. The Swakopmunder Buchhandlung was at the heart of it all. It published newspapers. The Deutsch-Südwestafrikanische Zeitung started in 1911. The Swakopmunder Zeitung followed in 1912. The Keetmanshooper Zeitung joined in 1913.
During World War I things got interesting. Governor Theodor Seitz authorized the Swakopmunder Buchhandlung to print emergency money. These Seitz-Noten were later forbidden. However a shortage of cash meant the bookstore could issue official vouchers. These acted as replacement currency.
The Swakopmunder Buchhandlung didn’t always thrive. In 1923 it closed. Heinrich Stolze the owner at the time returned to Germany. The existing branches were split. John Meinert took the Windhoek branch. Ferdinand Stich took over the main Swakopmund store. He even opened branches in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The Swakopmunder Buchhandlung continued its legacy. Hans and Anka Delius bought it in 1967. Anton von Wietersheim took ownership in 1998. His son Joachim managed it from 2011. In 2021 it was sold to Die Muschel another bookstore and art gallery in Swakopmund.
So as you stand here appreciate the Swakopmunder Buchhandlung. It’s a silent observer of a century of change. It’s a story in itself a collection of stories. Each book within its walls holds a piece of Namibia’s rich history.