Morris Column: Swakopmund’s Historical Pillar

For a century, the Morris column has stood quietly at the intersection of Daniel Tjongarero and Nathaniel Maxuilili streets at Swakopmund.

Often overlooked by locals, this unassuming structure once served as a vital source of public information – social media in days gone by. In its prime, the Morris column was a key communications platform, displaying the latest news, announcements and advertisements.

While it now appears somewhat unkempt, it still catches the eye of tourists, as travel guides often list it as an attraction. Behind its weathered exterior lies a fascinating story.

The need for information has always been fundamental and 100 years ago, Swakopmund was no exception. In the early days, residents plastered notes and posters casually across town. In response, local authorities and private individuals decided to erect Morris columns to centralise and organise public notices.

The Swakopmund district authority constructed these columns, each standing about 3m tall with a 70cm base supporting a slightly slimmer cylinder topped with a blunted cone. The materials for these pillars were generously donated by local businesses.

The prominent Morris column at the corner of Daniel Tjongarero and Nathaniel Maxuilili streets was likely erected in 1905, one of six such advertising pillars at Swakopmund. This period marked a construction boom in the coastal settlement, with many of the buildings of that time still standing proudly in the Namib sands of the coastal towns.

The Morris columns undoubtedly attracted significant attention in their time. They were accessible to the public, allowing anyone to post ads and notices. Unlike the situation in Berlin 50 years earlier, where the first advertising pillar, known as a Litfaßsäule, was introduced with exclusive leasing rights, Swakopmund’s Morris columns were open for all to use.

The Litfaßsäule, as the Morris column is called in German, was named after Ernst Litfaß (1816-1874), a Berlin printer. Frustrated by the chaotic display of posters and pamphlets on walls, fences and trees, Litfaß proposed to the police president of Berlin the idea of constructing advertising pillars to curb this disorder. In return, he requested exclusive leasing rights for the pillars. His proposal was accepted, granting him a 10-year monopoly.

In 1855, Litfaß began erecting the first 100 advertising pillars in Berlin, where he was also tasked with publishing the latest news. However, advertising soon became his primary focus, earning him the title ‘King of Ads’ and the pillars became known as Litfaßsäulen.

Litfaß was also known for his charitable efforts, which earned him the Order of the Crown with the insignia of the Red St John Cross. He passed away in 1874 at the age of 58.

As a testament to his legacy, Berlin named a square after him, featuring a 4m Litfaß column that provides information about its inventor.

The advertising column takes its English name (Morris column) and French name (Colonne Morris) from a French company, La Société Fermière des Colonnes Morris, which was the first to construct these columns outside Germany.

Today, the Morris column at Swakopmund stands as a reminder of a bygone era, its once-vital role in public communication now a part of history. Though it may no longer serve its original purpose, it remains an enduring symbol of the town’s rich past.