This is the story of a vintage Volkswagen Beetle that once cruised the streets of Addis Ababa half a century ago. This is not just any Beetle; despite its age, its current asset valuation is a remarkable half a million.
On September 12, 1974, Ethiopia’s last emperor was deposed after a reign of over four decades. The story goes that the 82-year-old emperor was escorted 19 miles outside the capital to a military garrison for his “safety’s sake”, forced to sit at the backseat of this blue VW, that belonged to his personal Chauffeur, General Lulu Engereda.
On that uneventful day, General Lulu had to report to start his normal day at work, but a group of military officers met him at the doorsteps of his house, who told him to bring his car needed for a lofty purpose. Dumbfounded, the general had no choice but to comply.
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Upon delivering the car at the palace and giving the key over to the generals, the unexpected happened: the general himself was detained, and his arrested would last for eight years from then on. (On record and instilled in people’s memories is the heavy moment televised as Major Debela Dinsa, accompanied by a military entourage, read to the last emperor the statement of his ouster.)
General Lulu’s shock was expected as he not only was the emperor’s personal driver with additional responsibilities, but also the God son of Leoul Mekonnen (the Duke of Harar), the emperor’s favored son, as some would like to surmise.
The general’s wife would inherit the car, which remained under the possession of the government until sometime after 1991 when the “Dergue” regime was overthrown.
The rightful inheritor, Atsede Woldemichael, the spouse of the general passed away over a year ago at the age of 89. Ever since her husband’s death, she never abandoned hope of reclaiming the blue “people’s car”. (When in the 1930’s the VW Beetle was manufactured at the behest of Adolph Hitler, it was dubbed as such, “the people’s car”, because an affordable means of transport was needed, and Porsche was there to come up with the ideal design.)
Although their marriage had owned the historic VW car for over 50 years, recovering the car was not an easy task for Atsede. There was a time, though, when an offer had come from the palace’s authorities to buy the VW as a souvenir, at 150,000 birr for a price tag.
It was a no-brainer for Atsede to quickly deny the offer. However, it took nearly two decades for her to reclaim it.
Tesfaye Ayele, a 78-year-old nephew of Atsede, said that his aunt regained possession of her husband’s car a few years after the EPRDF took control of power. “During the process of returning confiscated properties, which took place a few years after the EPRDF took power, my aunt got her husband’s car back,” he told The Reporter Magazine adding that after reclaiming the car, Atsede changed the car’s license plate and continued driving it until shortly before her death.
Tesfaye added that his aunt cherished the VW car for nearly three decades. “She took great pride in owning back and driving the car, treating it with the utmost care as it was her most treasured possession,” he said.
Offers continue to pour in to buy the car from Woizero Atsede and later from the present inheritors of the car from people who seem very keen on owning such a historically steeped auto as part of their vintage collection.
According to Tesfaye, among the first to show interest were members of the “Ras-Tafarian” family. He said that they approached Atsede with several purchase offers, but government authorities intervened, preventing any further progress. “With the connections I was able to establish, the Ras-Tafarians made several attempts to buy the car, but the government authorities interfered, rejecting the offers by claiming the car is a historical symbol that cannot leave the country,” he told The Reporter Magazine.
Next in line is the Ethiopian Heritage Authority (EHA), led by Associate Professor Abebaw Ayalew, the Director-General of the Authority. Tesfaye said that he also facilitated the connection with the Authority and helped them gather all relevant documents concerning the car. He added that the Authority expressed interest in acquiring the car as a symbol of Ethiopia’s past.
However, he said that the deal has stalled with no further progress. “The Authority wants to take the car,” he said. “They requested all the necessary documents, which we provided, but for some reason, their interest in the car waned and the deal’s process came to a standstill.”
Tesfaye noted that his aunt was still alive when the Authority first expressed interest in the car.
Moreover, Tesfaye confirmed that he is still searching for buyers who can meet the family’s conditions. He stated that selling the car is the last option they have left, adding, “The Authority’s lack of response sends a clear message that they are not interested.”
“It has been over a year since the Authority visited, so what choice do we have?” he said, emphasizing that a friend of his, who had family ties to the imperial reign, has offered half a million Ethiopian birr to buy the car.
“I am waiting for him at the moment,” said Tesfaye. However, he also noted that it would make him and his family prouder to see the car go to the palace or the Authority. “We don’t want money, but if there is some form of compensation, we want the car to be taken to the palace or the Authority so that our family’s history is preserved. If the government can display it publicly, ensuring that our name, and General Lulu’s name, remains part of the historical record, that would be ideal. History should take precedence. We don’t want to see the car in the hands of another individual.”
It remains parked for over a year now at a home in an area in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa locally known as Afincho Ber. The owner had already received a 6-month eviction notice due to a riverside redevelopment campaign by the city administration. After the past and present owners clung to the priceless car for far too long because of the weight of history it carries, the inheritor finally decided to let go of it, but there seems to be no clear winner as yet.
According to Tesfaye, the VW’s future lies in one of three options: taking it home with him, selling it to other individual, or allowing the palace or the Authority to claim it as a part of the family’s legacy.
