In 1908, diamonds brought sudden wealth to Namibia’s desert. By 1956, Kolmanskop had become a ghost town

Europe Business Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:05:44 GMT Moderate confidence — 73/100

In 1908, a railway worker clearing sand beside a track in what is now Namibia noticed something unusual: stones that caught the sunlight.
His German supervisor, August Stauch, recognised the discovery as diamonds, setting off a rush that would transform one of southern Africa’s harshest landscapes.
Within months, prospectors and mining companies were moving into the remote desert, while the colonial authorities imposed tight controls over the newly valuable territory.

In 1908, a railway worker clearing sand beside a track in what is now Namibia noticed something unusual: stones that caught the sunlight.
His German supervisor, August Stauch, recognised the discovery as diamonds, setting off a rush that would transform one of southern Africa’s harshest landscapes.
Within months, prospectors and mining companies were moving into the remote desert, while the colonial authorities imposed tight controls over the newly valuable territory.

Sources: Times of India