GERMANY RULE IN NAMIBIA (SOUTH-WEST AFRICA) Namibia was also known as South West Africa. The people who lived here were Khoisan, Bantu (Ovambo, Herero, Nama) Germany occupation of Namibia began as early as 1874 but with limited success. Effective occupation took place in 1884.
REASONS FOR GERMANY OCCUPATION OF NAMIBIA Why did the Germans occupy Namibia? The 1870-71 Franco-Prussian war led to the rise of Germany into power. The increased Germany nationalism and more desire for territories i.e. it was fashionable for powers to win over seas colonies. The rise of Otto Von Bismarck created a Germany desire for colonies that pushed Germany into South West Africa thus occupying Namibia. The Berlin conference of 1884 recognized the Germany occupation of Namibia and gave them a free hand. The British occupation of Botswana in 1885, a neighbour of Namibia alarmed the Germans to act faster hence occupying Namibia. The Germans occupied Namibia for strategic reasons of using the Walvis Bay. The Germans wanted to establish a link between port Periquena and Pretoria for commercial reasons. The Germany occupation of Namibia was an appeal made by Germany missionaries for protection. The need to spread Christianity forced the Germans to occupy Namibia. The Germany –superiority feeling made them occupy Namibia to
spread Germany culture. The passing of a bill by the Germany government to support the colonization of South West Africa in 1884 led to occupation of Namibia. The need to settle the Germany excess population also forced them to
occupy South Africa. There was a need for the merchants and adventurers to use Namibia as a source of raw materials and market for German manufacturers. The German mission to civilize the world led to occupation of Namibia.
HOW THE GERMANS ACQUIRED SOUTH WEST AFRICA/NAMIBIA How did the Germans acquire South West Africa (Namibia) as a colony?
South West Africa (Namibia) was originally inhabited by the Nama,
Ovambo, and Herero. Long before the Germans occupied this area, the territory had been regarded as a South African territory. Then Europeans begun to show interest in the area and therefore the area was acquired due to increasing competition for colonies. The first to settle were the missionaries and these first occupied the coast. Examples of the first missionaries in South West Africa (Namibia) were Abraham and Christian Albrecht of London Missionary Society (L.M.S) They started a mission at Warmbad in the South in 1805. The London missionary society built a second mission station at Bethany in
1814. Through the missionary activities in South West Africa, the Germans gradually penetrated the country due to the conflicts between the Nama
and Herero. In the effort to defeat the Nama, the leader of the Herero Samuel Maherero
requested for German assistance. Later the missionaries reported the instabilities between the Nama and
the Herero to their home government. German traders e.g. Franz Luderitz opened gates to German colonization of
South West Africa. In 1883, the German government granted a charter /permission to Franz Luderitz to sign treaties with African chiefs in the area to purchase a
territory from them. In 1883 Luderitz bought Angra Pequena, later Luderitz Bay and also the land lying five miles around it from a Nama chief Joseph Fredrick of
Bethany. He began expanding this territory by signing other treaties and purchasing
land from other chiefs. Later there was a scramble for South West Africa between the Germans
and the British at the cape. Earlier in 1876, William Palgrave had been sent as a representative of the Cape colony government. In 1878, the British had annexed Walvis Bay to the Cape colony. However, the cape Parliament was not prepared to meet the costs of the
annexation. Later, in 1880, the German chancellor Otto Von Bismarck asked the British government whether it was prepared to give protection to the German subjects in the area. When the British refused to reply, the Germans established their authority in
the area. Due to this and the increased requests from the missionaries, the German Parliament agreed to take over Namibia.
On 24th April, 1884, the Germans declared South West Africa as a German
colony in order to take over Namibia. Once German had declared a Protectorate over the territory. She sent a special imperial commissioner Heinnch Goering to sign treaties with African chiefs and organize the new colony. He used direct rule to govern their new colony. He made use of African collaborators e.g. Khama Herero was the first to
accept German Protection thought he later changed his mind in 1888. He also used military force e.g. the Germans sent a large military force into
Herero land to force him accept their rule. He also constructed infrastructure e.g. railway line and roads to facilitate
easy movement and administration. He used divide and rule e.g. in 1890, the Germans intervened in Herero dynastic quarrel. Samuel Maherero and Nichodemus Kavikunua both struggled to succeed Khama Herero who had died in the same year. The Germans helped Samuel Maherero to assume power. In certain for German support, Samuel Maherero had to sign a treaty of protection with the Germans. By 1900, Germans were fully established in Namibia. Later, when the Nama and Herero jointly rose up against the Germans the Germans fought and defeated them before establishment of firm rule over South West Africa. The German rule in South West Africa lasted till 1918.
EFFECTS OF THE GERMAN RULE ON SOUTH AFRICA What effects did German rule have on South – West Africa up to 1918? There was German declaration of a Protectorate over South West Africa in 1884. German presence/occupation provoked mixed reactions from the African chiefs. There rule increased disunity between the Nama and Herero over their varied responses. The Nama Chief hated Herero‟s earlier collaboration with the Germans. The Herero lost land to the Germans due to the rule imposed by the Germans. There were increased German settlers in South West Africa e.g. by 1913 there were 14,500 Germans settlers in Namibia. The Germans rule led to grabbing thousands of acres of Herero grazing land South of the boundary. The rule led to the outbreak of the Herero boundary war in March 1896. The Herero who opposed to land policy were defeated. The captured Herero went to Windhoek to work as prisoners of war. It led to loss of cattle due to German dubious acts e.g. unfair trade, credit resettlement and scientific means. Africans were forced to sell more land to the Germans settlers to pay their debt.
It emanated into displacements of Africans resulted as their country was divided into white controlled areas. Africans lived a miserable life characterized by diseases and overcrowding. There was mal-German rule in South West Africa e.g. murder, imprisonment and public flogging, etc. Africans were made poor and poorer due to loss of land and cattle. The rule led to destruction of the Herero pastoral economy e.g. trade in Agriculture. The German rule resulted into over taxation of Africans. There were increased missionary activities in South West Africa (Namibia). The rule led to loss of African culture e.g. traditional worship, dress code, initiation ceremonies, etc. It resulted into the spreading and converting of Africans into Christianity. It led to introduction of formal education in South Africa i.e. teaching Africans how to read and write. African traditional religious men e.g. Starman came up to challenge the Germans. The German rule led to the outbreak of Nama-Herero uprising of 1904-1907. There was depopulation as three quarters of the Herero and half of the Nama were killed.
It led to growth of African Nationalism as the Nama joined the Herero to fight for their freedom and independence. African chiefs fled to the neighbouring countries following the Nama- Herero rising e.g. Samuel Maherero escaped to Transvaal and died in 1923, Jacob Morenga fled to Bechuanaland and in 1909 agreed to remain there. It resulted into the death of some African chiefs e.g. Hendrick Witbooi (Nama) Nichodemus and Kahimema (Herero) were killed in action. It led to the introduction of harsh reforms by the Germans to silence the Africans. A pass system was set up to forbid African movement. Chiefdoms were abolished in Namibia as a result of the German rule. The rule increased the enslavement of Africans on German farms. Communication and infrastructure development came up e.g. roads,
railway, hospitals, etc. More incentives were offered to the German settlers to come and settle in Namibia. Africans lost their dignity as they were made second class citizens. There was development of trade between Africans and the Germans at the coast. There was development of dependence system among Africans i.e Africans started depending on the whites. There was introduction of new crops e.g. cotton, coffee the sugarcane.