MESSAGES of condolence have poured in for veteran journalist Joachim ‘Joe’ Pütz, who died last Thursday at the age of 74. He was born on 15 August 1945.
Pütz was found unconscious at his home in Windhoek West, and taken to the Katutura Intermediate Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of his death is yet to be determined.
Willie Olivier, founding editor of Namibian Sun, said Pütz was a dedicated person, although sometimes controversial. He said Joe, as he was popularly known in news circles, had a vast amount of knowledge, which he accumulated over the years in journalism.
Olivier further said Pütz mentored many young journalists, and he leaves a legacy in the media fraternity.
New Era managing editor Toivo Ndjebela yesterday said he worked with the late Pütz at Informante, New Era and Namibian Sun.
“What amazed me most about him was his general knowledge across many spectra. History was his forte, and for that we called him a ‘walking encyclopedia’ at Namibian Sun,” he added.
He said as a journalist, Pütz was an intimidating figure, but in a nice way, adding that if he summoned you to his desk while subbing your story, “brace for some serious lecturing”.
“Joe had a huge collection of books at his house, and I visited him regularly to look at his stock. In the end, we often had lengthy chats on the political history of Namibia,” Ndjebela narrated.
Namibian Sun editor, Festus Nakatana said he first got to know Pütz late in 2007 when he joined Namibian Sun. He added that the late Pütz was a talkative ‘old man’ with vast journalistic experience, and a knowledge of current affairs.
“I also remember Joe as a meticulous sub-editor with remarkable copy-editing skills. These skills, I believe, were valuable and guiding to many of us, and we will forever be grateful for his wonderful contribution at Namibian Sun,” he said.
Retired newspaper editor Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro described Pütz as approachable, social, dedicated and a professional person who was easy to work with, and balanced in thinking.
“Pütz was always a backbencher of journalism, but he was like a teacher for most people. He is one of the gurus who can be put in the category of Hannes ‘Smithie’ Smith of the Windhoek Observer,” he said.
Matundu-Tjiparuro noted that the journalism fraternity has lost someone who was a teacher, mentor and dedicated person.
The editor of The Namibian, Tangeni Amupadhi, said the late Pütz was a colleague worthy of veteran’s status in the Namibian media scene.
Amupadhi added that although there was not much from Pütz in the past years, he will always be remembered for the major contribution he made way beyond retirement age. Pütz has also been attached to The Namibian as a sub-editor.
Pütz graduated from the University of Cape Town with a combined bachelor (honours) in philosophy and German literature. He tackled various jobs, including being part of film crews, a teacher and sales representative. He started journalism at the Allgemeine Zeitung, becoming its editor in 1979, and won the journalist of the year press award in 1981.
Pütz worked for the South African Press Association and the Deutsche Presse Agentur as a stringer, and became editor of The Windhoek Advertiser in 1985. He was the author of a humoristic dictionary of German as adapted in Namibia, and was one of the editors of two editions of the ‘Political Who’s Who of Namibia’ in the late 1980’s.
