Reiterdenkmal disappears overnight

Under heavy police guard, the Reiterdenkmal statue was unexpectedly removed from its plinth in front of the Alte Feste Museum in Windhoek late on Christmas night. People yesterday gathered at the site taking photos of where the statue once stood, clearly upset and surprised at what had happened. “Where is the horse?” was the question that everyone was asking and to which no one had answers. The instruction was given by the National Heritage Council to a private construction company to remove the statue. Streets in the city centre were cordoned off and the Namibian Police were asked to provide security and intervene should anybody try and interfere with the removal of the statue. Journalists and residents were not allowed to watch or take any photographs, as all access to the controversial statue was blocked off. This surprise removal came shortly after the National Heritage Council had announced that it would de-proclaim the Reiterdenkmal statue as national monument and that it would be displayed in the Alte Feste Museum as an ordinary historic object. These recommendations were to have been submitted within 60 days to the Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Jerry Ekandjo. Job Amupanda of the Namibian Heritage Council yesterday told Namibian Sun that the statue had been removed before and there was nothing special about it being removed a second time. He stressed that the council is in the process of de-proclaiming the Reiterdenkmal and will keep it inside the courtyard of the Alte Feste. “It will no longer be a national monument. This statue celebrates the victory of Germans and it has lost it significance,” said Amupanda. Asked where the statue was at the moment, he said: “When a statue is de-proclaimed it is not treated with respect and it should not be of any concern where it is.” According to him a genocide statue will be erected in the place of the Reiterdenkmal once it has been completed, probably in March 2014. “We cannot expect to pay any attention to the Reiterdenkmal when the erection of the genocide statue is going to take place,” said Amupanda. “This statue [Reiterdenkmal] has divided people. It should no longer divide people. Those that sympathise with the Reiterdenkmal statue should be happy it was not taken to the dumpsite, because it should be disposed of.” Amupanda said President Hifikepunye Pohamba had made it clear that the statue should “go” and therefore this removal is a serious compromise by the government. Pohamba said at a Heroes’ Day celebration in Ongulumbashe earlier this year: “This monument is a symbol of victory on the side of the Germans. This monument means ‘we have defeated them’. “The horse rider must be removed. If they want to take it back to Germany it is also fine, we will not have any objections.” When asked why the statue was removed in such a hush-hush manner on Christmas night, Amupanda pointed out that a private company was contracted to do the job. “If they wanted to do it 02:00 at night on Christmas or on New Year’s it is insignificant. It was done without causing disturbance. Does it really matter that it was done on Christmas?” He also pointed out that meetings have been held with the German Culture Society and pointed out that it is not the entire German community that is opposing the removal of the statue. “There are those that are tarnishing the German community’s name. Germans are peace-loving Namibians. They only want to be in the loop and informed.” Information and Communication Technology Minister Joel Kaapanda, yesterday told Namibian Sun that he was not aware of the statue being removed, but that he was not surprised. “The public has been calling for the removal of the statue for some time, because of its historical representation. It has become an eyesore to the public.” When Kaapanda was asked about the manner in which the statue was removed he replied: “What? Do you think it needs a ceremony?” WINDHOEK ELLANIE SMIT