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Swakopmund (Namibia)
Last modified: 2014-02-15 by bruce berry
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image by Jens Pattke, 19
Apr 2009
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Swakopmund
Swakopmund is located on the
coast of western Namibia in the Namib Desert and is the
administrative capital of the Erongo district.
The Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper reports that the shield
on the Coat of Arms of Swakopmund in Namibia has been changed. The old Arms of
Swakopmund had a shield in the former German Empire
colours of black-white-red. This shield has been replaced with the present
Namibian national flag. The three-thorn bush has also been
changed to the Welwitschia plant which is also featured on the
Namibian coat of arms. The rest of the detail remains
the same.
image by Jens Pattke, 19 Apr 2009
The Namibian newspaper reports:
The Swakopmund Town Council has decided to give the town a new coat of arms "to
keep up with the times". Swakopmund Municipality CEO Eckart Demasius says the
changes include replacing the three-thorn bush with a Welwitschia, while the
black, white and red colours representing the German imperial flag will make
place for the Namibian flag. Although the council has approved the concept, it
still needs refining and approval by the local heritage committee, according to
Demasius. "Hopefully we'll have it displayed publicly within this year, but it
will take some time".
He said the three-thorn bush represented the three "colonial
languages" - German, Afrikaans and English. The Welwitschia, on the other hand,
symbolises the beauty and uniqueness of Swakopmund - its two leaves depicting
equal opportunity and equal rights. "It also shows the beauty and uniqueness of
Namibia's and Swakopmund's diversity in tradition and culture, something the
three-thorn bush fails to expound on," he said.
What will not change is the German castle - an obvious landmark
in town - the Swakopmund lighthouse and the slogan 'Providentiae Memor'
(Mindful of Providence). Demasius said once the new design was approved by the
heritage committee and that the mayoral chain and stationery would have to be
replaced.
Jens Pattke, 19 Apr 2009