The Liemba, moored in the port of Kigoma, is considered one of the oldest passenger ships in the world and was in service until 2018. The steamboat, with more than 100 years of history, is a symbol of resilience and endurance on Lake Tanganyika. According to newspaper reports, the ship is to be renovated by July 2026 due to its historical significance and will then be used again for passenger and freight transport.
The ship was built in Germany in 1913 at the Meyer shipyard and was initially named after the colonial governor Gustav Adolf Graf von Götzen. In 1927, it was renamed Liemba, the Swahili name for Lake Tanganyika. Packed into over 5,000 crates, the ship was laboriously transported from Germany by ship, rail and East African porters, who were pushed to the brink of exhaustion, to Kigoma, where it was finally assembled.
During the First World War, the Liemba served as a warship. The battle was fought in East Africa against British and Belgian troops. In 1916, when German troops were in retreat, their commander Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck ordered the ship to be sunk. Years later, it was salvaged and – after some repairs – put back into service.
Further Information
- Capus, Alex (2018): Eine Frage der Zeit, München: DTV
- Paulus, Sarah & Wackenberg, Rolf (2016): Von Goetzen bis Liemba: Auf Reisen mit einem Jahrhundertschiff. Berlin: artissage und online: www.liemba.wordpress.com
- Pesek, Michael (2010): Das Ende eines Kolonialreiches: Ostafrika im Ersten Weltkrieg. Frankfurt am Main: Campus Verlag.
Decolonial Travel Guide Tanzania 