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Station in Eritrea
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Station in Eritrea
ERITREA : station at Otumlo, near Massawa in Italian Eritrea. Date: 1895
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Media ID 14293177
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This evocative photograph captures the bustling activity at Otumlo Station in Eritrea during the Italian colonial era, circa 1895. Located near the coastal city of Massawa, the station was a vital transportation hub during the construction of the Italian-built railway that connected Massawa with the Ethiopian highlands. The image reveals a scene of organized chaos, as people and cargo scramble to board the trains or unload from them. European engineers and soldiers, dressed in their distinctive uniforms, oversee the operations, while local laborers and porters work alongside them. The trains themselves are a mix of steam locomotives and carriages, their smokestacks billowing plumes of steam into the air. The railway, which spanned over 1,000 kilometers, was a testament to Italian engineering prowess and marked a significant milestone in the colonial conquest of Eritrea. It revolutionized transportation in the region, making it easier to move troops, supplies, and goods between the coast and the interior. Despite the progress and development brought about by the railway, it also had a profound impact on the local population. Thousands of laborers were conscripted to work on the railway, often under harsh conditions, leading to widespread suffering and resistance. The railway also facilitated the spread of diseases such as malaria and smallpox, which took a heavy toll on the local population. This photograph offers a glimpse into a pivotal moment in Eritrean history, when the old and the new collided, and the course of the country's future was set in motion.
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