Swakopmund's mysterious towers
by Chris Tian
Some Swakopmund visitors were always wondered what these little guard towers were without windows and without doors. Were they a little guard towers for dwarfs or miniature soldiers? Even locals seemed to not know what these structures are or what purpose they served.
However, it turns out that during 1912 German engineer Friedrich 'Fritz' Kramer (who lived in the Kramer House - now known as Scultetus Haus - in what is now known as Kramersdorf suburb) helped built an 85 m tall radio communications tower for Deutsche Telefunken. The tower had a reach of 1100 km during the day and 1700 km during the night and was situated at the Swakop River mouth. The tower served for radio communication with Germany.
Only the top parts of the three anchors, which were buried 2.5 metres deep remain visible to this day. Above the anchors the three anchor towers were erected. They are 6 metres high and filled with sand on the inside.
On 14 September 1914 the tower, together with the anchor towers and the house of Paul Wlotzka were unsuccessfully bombarded with 17 rounds from the English "Armadale Castle", a passenger steamship built in 1903 and which was requisitioned as an armed merchant cruiser in the Royal Navy.
Wlotzkas House sustained minor damage. However, the tower was already decommissioned on 13 August 1914 and all instruments brought inland. After the bombardment the tower was brought down by tower personnel who cut two of the anchor cables. At the end of the 70s the towers were restored and placed under Monument Protection.
The picture from 2021 was taken within the Municipal Bungalows and the third tower is off to the left.
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