A Collection of Postcards from German South West Africa

     
 

 
 

The Orange River - The Orange River ran along German South West Africa's Southern Border with South Africa. It was in this river that Adolf Lüderitz, the founder of German South West Africa was drowned in 1886.

  
 

 
     
 
"K'hoop 3.3.08
L. Elise
Sende Dir die herzl. Grüße aus weiter Ferne + grüße auch sämtl. Herren von mir als unbekannt die auf der Karte unterschrieben Grüße auch Frau ...
Gruß Dein
Bruder Emil.
Abs. Rtr. Hettich
Garrisonkommand
Keetmannshoop"		 "Ketmannshoop 3.3.08
Dear Elise,
Sending you hearty greetings from a far away distance and greetings also to the gentlemen unknown to me who signed the card*. Greetings also to wife**.
Greetings from your
Brother Emil.
From- Rtr. Hettich
Garrisonkommand
Keetmannshoop "

* It is possible that several friends of Elise's also signed and sent a card to Emil while he was on active service in South West Africa as a way of "supporting the troops".

** This is a little mystery. In many of his cards Emil sends greetings to "Frau". Usually in German Frau means wife or woman. It would be unusual to refer to is mother in this way and yet if it were his own wife one would expect him to write personally to her, unless perhaps she was illiterate.

  


 


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All photos on this page © 1908/2007

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