UMshwathi Local Municipality: History
UMshwathi has a rich heritage of German immigration, evident in many place names. In the mid-19th century, farmers, missionaries, and other settlers from Germany came to settle here. Places with German names include Harburg, established in 1849, Kirchdorf, New Hanover, Lilienthal, Schroeders, and, in the neighboring local community, the town of Hermannsburg.
The Wartburger Hof, a German hotel and restaurant, remains an important point for tourism. In November 2007 the owners, Siggi Schaedle (68), and his wife Ingrid Schaedle (63) were gunned down at point blank range. Premier Mr Sibusiso Ndebele condemned the killing
Wartburg is named after Wartburg Castle in Germany, where Martin Luther translated the Bible into German.