Negotiating the past between namibia and germany taylor. Jan 05, 2017 germany has been sued for damages in the united states by descendants of the herero and nama people of namibia, for what they called a campaign of genocide by german colonial troops in the early. Few people know that several dead bodies were also brought back to germany for research purposes. The herero and namaqua or nama genocide was the murder and persecution by the german empire of the herero and nama people of namibia, then known as german south west africa. Map of deutsch sudwestafrika, 1904 german southwest africa. The herero and namaqua genocide is thought to have been the first genocide of the 20th century. The german war against the hereros the military campaign in german southwest africa, 19041907 isabel v.
Between 65,000 and 100,000 herero and 10,000 nama were killed. Although the herero were subjected to germanys first genocide, they have, unlike the victims of the holocaust, received no reparations from germany. It took place between 1904 and 1908 in germanoccupied south west africa currently the territory of namibia. The myth of german genocide against the herero history. But many herero and nama have called for direct reparations, of the. Wachsmuth explained that the herero were demanding reparations after the genocide from 19041907 as a result of the herero wars. It killed 60,000 hereros and 10,000 nama, 50% to 70% of them.
It took place between 1904 and 1907 in german southwest africa modern day namibia, during the scramble for africa. It took place between 1904 and 1907 in german southwest africamodern day namibia, during the herero wars. More recently, more contemporary reports are categorical on the then german brutality when in 2004, 100 years after the herero german war, the german government officially apologised. Germanherero conflict of 190407 african history britannica. It took place between 1904 and 1907 in german southwest africa today called namibia, during the scramble for africa. Some historians conclude that 42% of the entire kazakh population died in the famine. However, few of us associate those words with germanys presence in namibia. Episodes such as these continue around the world to this day with little justice delivered in return. Germanys colonisation of namibia, then german south west africa gswa, encompasses one of the worst atrocities ever. Continuity between the herero genocide and the holocaust add. With the help of 150 essential contributions, jens meierhenrich provides a unique introduction to the myriad dimensions of genocide and to the breadth and. Germany has been sued for damages in the united states by descendants of the herero and nama people of namibia, for what they called a campaign of genocide by german colonial troops in the early. Read part two here w hen the words germany and genocide are put together, most of us inevitability, and understandably, think of the holocaust.
Germanherero conflict of 190407, the conflict between the herero people and german colonial troops in german south west africa in 1904 and the ensuing events of the next few years that resulted in the deaths of about 75 percent of the herero population, considered by most scholars to be genocide. The herero and namaqua genocide the holocaust explained. The herero and nama genocide 19041908 the herero and nama genocide. Helmut bley, southwest africa under german rule 18941914, at 6 1971 citation omitted. German vernichtungsbefehl annihilation order against. The repatriation of human remains more than a century after they were taken to germany from namibia has evoked painful memories of colonial wars in which primary african resistance was crushed, and genocide perpetrated 190408 in what was then the colony of german south west africa. Refworld contains a vast collection of reports relating to situations in countries of origin, policy documents and positions, and documents relating to international and national legal frameworks. Ninetyseven years earlier, on n january 1904, in a small and dusty town in central namibia, the first genocide of the twentieth century began with the eruption of the hererogerman war. May 06, 2018 in recent years, germany has started to take responsibility for colonial genocide and has offered development aid to namibia. Jun 10, 2001 genocide there were heavy losses on both sides, but the german artillery and superior firepower wore down the embattled herero who also took heavy losses among noncombatants. We germans accept our historic and moral responsibility and the guilt incurred by germans at that time, said heidemarie wieczorekzeul, germanys development aid minister, at a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the. The history of the herero genocide remains a key issue for many around the world partly because the german.
The herero german war of 1904 has been downplayed as a normal colonial war by some, and emphasised as a genocide by others. Dec 25, 2016 germany moves to atone for forgotten genocide in namibia. But systematic killings continued long after the uprising had been put down. In total some 65,000 herero, about 80% of the herero population, and 10,000 nama, about 50% of the nama population, perished. Explain the two distinctively different viewpoints of the colonial treatment of the herero and nama people by the decedents of the german colonial government and the herero and nama people today. Herero and namaqua genocide herero and namaqua genocide not a proper name, so lowercase genocide. Namibia and germany with or without the genocide were supposed to be involved in bilateral relations in development, but to deny that there can ever be special reparations and compensation of the herero and nama victims is a joke of present day neocolonialism and no african citizen will buy that story. Herero and namaqua genocide the espresso stalinist. The genocide in namibia began as an operation to suppress a revolt against german colonial rule by the herero and nama. The common name of the event we are dealing here the genocide of the herero and namaqua in the early 20th century is herero genocide, as the namaqua are often left over. On 12 january 1904, the herero people, led by samuel.
Oct 28, 2015 in the course of just a few years, 80 percent of the herero tribe died, and many survivors were imprisoned in forced labor camps. It took place between 1904 and 1907 in german southwest africa today called namibia, during the scramble for africa on january 12, 1904, the herero people, led by samuel maharero, fought back against german colonial rule. There is still a myth being perpetuated that the herero people suffered a genocide under the german colonial troops in 1904. A reader lays the foundations for an improved understanding of genocide. Before leaving the site commemorating this conference, dr. Refworld is the leading source of information necessary for taking quality decisions on refugee status. It took place between 1904 and 1907 in german southwest africa modern day namibia, during the scramble for africa on january 12, 1904, the herero people, led by samuel maharero, rebelled against german colonial rule. Few people know that several dead bodies were also brought back to. The war against the herero and nama was the first in which german imperialism resorted to methods of genocide, thus earning unenviable notoriety in later 4 in a letter to the editor of the allgemeine zeitung of 20 august 2004, claus nordbruch opined that. The herero and nama genocide 19041908 was carried out by germany in south west africa, now called namibia.
The south african artist william kentridge on wikipedia made the installation black box chambre noir 2005 about the herero and namaqua genocide. Why the herero of namibia are suing germany for reparations npr. Why the herero of namibia are suing germany for reparations. The two soviet census show that the number of the kazakhs in kazakhstan dropped from 3,637,612 in 1926 to 2,181,520 in 1937.
What was the contemporary german public opinion on the herero. Herero nation entered into bilateral protection treaties with germany in 1885 and 1890. On january 12, 1904, the herero people, led by samuel maharero, fought back against german colonial rule. The tribe fled into the omaheke desert now called the kalahari desert where the germans pursued them. The herero and nama genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century, waged by the german empire against the ovaherero, the nama, and the san in german south west africa now namibia.
It is argued that the herero genocide set a precedent in imperial germany that would later be followed by nazi germany s establishment of death camps. After a rebellion of nama fighters, these same tactics were used. The herero people demanded reparations of one billion dollars for their ancestors robbed land, possessions, and treatment. Herero genocide the facts and the criticisms the mail. There are powerful links between the herero genocide, the holocaust 40 years later, and the rwandan genocide of the 1990s. In january 1904, the herero people who were led by samuel maharero and nama who were led by captain hendrik witbooi rebelled against. Its generally said that the armenian genocide was the first of the 20th century. Background in 1894, the area now the country of namibia became a protectorate of germany. By the time hostilities ended, the majority of the herero had been killed, driven off. Rather than focusing on ideology racism as the main causal factor.
The association of the ovaherero genocide in the usa. Germany moves to atone for forgotten genocide in namibia. The genocide in namibia 190408 and its consequences. On january 12, 1904, the herero people, led by samuel maharero, rebelled against german colonial rule. The repatriation of human remains more than a century after they were taken to germany from namibia has evoked painful memories of colonial wars in which primary african resistance was crushed, and genocide perpetrated 190408 in what was. Take the kaisers involvement in the herero massacre, for instance. Dr klaus nordbruch, a south african academic, has written a detailed article to clear this up once and for all.
Pdf the military campaign in german southwest africa, 1904. The story of the herero tribe is one still unknown to most of the world, and though it is a gruesome tale of white supremacy, it is a story that must be told. Provide me with the three drivers of the herero genocide and explain their impact upon the indigenous peoples of south west africa. Hull cornell university the military campaign in southwest africa in 19041907 was the largest and in every respect the costliest undertaken by imperial germany before. Abstractin 2015, for the first time in 111 years, top german government followed postcolonial historical scholarship, literary production, and. Sep 14, 2015 when you hear the word genocide, your mind may immediately go to the holocaust by the nazis during the second world war. The information has been carefully selected and compiled from unhcrs global network of field. Herero and namaqua genocide simple english wikipedia.
Herero and namaqua genocide was a campaign of racial extermination and collective punishment that the government of german southwest africa modernday namibia undertook against the herero and nama people. It took place between 1904 and 1907 in german southwest africa modernday namibia, during the herero wars. Find highquality herero stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. The herero and namaqua genocide is considered to have been the first genocide of the 20th century. But the disagreement over the word genocide seems of little import in light of the atrocities carried out against the herero people. Democratic kampuchea is not a genocide, but a state. In the course of just a few years, 80 percent of the herero tribe died, and many survivors were imprisoned in forced labor camps. It took place between 1904 and 1907 during the herero wars.
The herero and nama genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century, waged by the german empire against the ovaherero, the nama, and the san in. The effects of the herero genocide of 19041908 linger today and have influenced namibias current economic and political condition. Robert gerwarth and stephan malinowski have pointed out that the first world war is absent in the continuity thesis. It is considered to have been the first genocide of the 20th century. In 1904 in the german territory of south west africa, todays namibia, german troops led by. The hererogerman war of 1904 has been downplayed as a normal colonial war by some, and emphasised as a genocide by others. The herero genocide has commanded the attention of historians who study complex issues of continuity between the herero genocide and the holocaust. German lebensraum and the herero response lasting success a government can only win if the necessity is recognized for securing a peoples lebensraum and thus its own agricultural class. I t has become known as the first genocide of the 20th. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. In 1904, the indigenous herero people of german south west africa now namibia rebelled against their german occupiers. Scramble for africa the herero and namaqua genocide is considered the first genocide of the 20th century. Herero and namaqua genocide simple english wikipedia, the. The way the relationship has evolved, in particular the festering issue of the genocide committed by the.
That pol pot directed a genocide is another story, but you cant identify a state with a genocide. The personal involvement of the german kaiser, wilhelm ii, in deciding how the war was to be fought in german south west africa signalled the highest. Germany sued for damages of forgotten genocide in namibia. The genocide was carried out through starvation and by poisoning the wells of the herero amongst other tactics. Very few sources use the term herero and namaqua genocide, either caps or not, until after wikipedia started using it. The herero war erupted in january 1904 because of the intrusive trade conducted by european traders on a credit basis, and the colonial restrictions placed on chiefly authority. In recent years, germany has started to take responsibility for colonial genocide and has offered development aid to namibia. German colonial army in what was then called german.
While the first position is untenable, the second is reconsidered in this article through a reevaluation of the sources and. Very few know that the first genocide of the 20 th century that almost led to the extinction of two nations of southwest africa herero and namaqua and this one was also done by the germans. Combat genocide association herero and nama genocide. On 12 january 1904, the herero people, led by samuel maharero, rebelled against german colonial rule.
When you hear the word genocide, your mind may immediately go to the holocaust by the nazis during the second world war. The definitive resource and document collection spans nearly 1,700 pages presented in four volumes and includes more than 120 primary source documents, making it ideal for high school and beginning college students studying modern genocide as part of a larger world history curriculum. Germany to recognise herero genocide and apologise to namibia. It occurred from 1904 until 1907 in german southwest africa modern day namibia, during the scramble for africa. And those who survived dispersed to other countries or were impregnated with a german child. This article examines the military campaign to suppress the herero and nama revolts in german southwest africa from 1904 to 1907. Like most other genocides, the term is descriptive. In the following four years, the german army retaliated, killing between 60,000 and 100,000 herero people, one of the worst atrocities ever. The association of the ovaherero genocide in the usa aog, started by the descendants of the genocide, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting awareness and affirmation of the 19041908 genocide, and the just resolution of the ovaherero peoples demands for restitution from the federal republic of germany. Of the four african colonies that it acquired in 18845, german south west africa today namibia fuelled contemporary. Imperial germany and the herero of southern africa. Jul 14, 2016 the genocide in namibia began as an operation to suppress a revolt against german colonial rule by the herero and nama. Considered to have been the first genocide of the 20th century.