A warm homegoing for Rumpf

RUTH KAMWISOOTHING organ music filled the Christuskirche in Windhoek on Friday afternoon when mourners gathered to honour the life and memory of former ambassador Hanno Rumpf who died on 8 February at his Swakopmund home.

It is suspected that he succumbed, aged 60, due to heart failure.

Mourners clad in customary black listened attentively to speakers, who uniformly described Rumpf as a man who exhibited unbending principles.

The ceremony was attended by, amongst others, prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, minister of international relations and cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, ambassador Tonata Itenge Emvula, poverty eradication minister Zephania Kameeta, finance minister Calle Schlettwein and former prime minister Nahas Angula.

A fellow mourner could be seen consolingly rubbing the back of his mother, Rosemarie Rumpf, who sat close to her daughters.

His brother, Jürgen Rumpf, delivered an emotional eulogy in which he mentioned that Hanno was the oldest of four children.

The Rumpf sisters, Silke van der Merwe and Dietlind Seidentopf, stood by Jürgen at the altar, which was decorated with yellow and white flowers.

At the left side of the altar, a portrait bearing the late ambassador’s image and a Namibian flag in the background was mounted on a three-legged stand whilst five candles burned.

According to the eulogy read by Jürgen, Rumpf was born on 15 September 1958 in Windhoek. He grew up on a farm, and went to school at Swakopmund.

He then studied at the University of Johannesburg, and also at Rhodes University.

He graduated with a bachelor of arts, majoring in history and political science, and further qualified as an interpreter.

After his studies, he was about to be conscripted into the South African army, but to avoid this, he went into political exile in 1984, and worked as a scientific research assistant at the University of Bremen.

In 1986, he left for further studies in economics, and worked as a researcher at the Namibian Communications Centre in London.

He was appointed as information officer of Swapo for West Germany in the following year, and returned from exile in 1989 through the United Nations. Rumpf then worked as a member of the economic advisory team of then prime minister Hage Geingob.

From 1990 to 1995, he served as permanent secretary in the environment ministry. He worked as a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry between 1995 and 1999, and as permanent secretary of the National Planning Commission in the Office of the President between 1999 and 2003.

Between 2003 and 2006, he served as Namibia’s ambassador to Germany and Austria.

He later served as ambassador to the European Union in Brussels and the Benelux countries between 2006 and 2015, after which he retired.

An incident during which Rumpf is said to have received an expensive pair of binoculars delivered to his hotel room by a businessman—during a diplomatic mission—brought a light moment to those who attended his memorial.

Jürgen mentioned that his late brother was caught in a difficult position, and not knowing what to do, brought them along [to Namibia], where he gave them to an anti-poaching unit and game guides in northern Namibia.

This was Rumpf the diplomat.

An emotional Jürgen said his brother was an avid reader, enjoyed hunting, loved biltong, braais and T-bone steak.

“He was an absolute armchair expert at football and rugby,” Jürgen continued.

“Hanno was very much looking forward to his retirement in Namibia. Unfortunately, it was very short, and we’ll miss him a lot.”

One of the sisters had to finish reading the eulogy after Jürgen became overwhelmed with grief.

“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the overwhelming sympathy we have received,” she ended the eulogy.

Rush-hour traffic honked past the picturesque church which is perched on a traffic island, as Nandi-Ndaitwah spoke of how the outstanding patriot devoted his adult life to a cause—of a better life for the people of his beloved Namibia—which was dear to him, above all others.

She added that Rumpf managed to blend together all his previous roles as he informed the international community about Namibia, and advanced the country’s foreign policy and national interests. Swapo executive director Austin Samupwa extended his condolences on behalf of the party.

The late Rumpf’s principled nature was a sentiment reiterated throughout the ceremony, also by Emvula, who delivered a speech on behalf of the Namibia Association of Former Ambassadors.

“This principled stand was often against great odds, for himself, and I would believe for his family. Despite these hardships, Rumpf never wavered in his conviction,” said Emvula.