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Namibia
History

Adolf LüderitzNamibia was, due to its barren coastline, colonised by the Europeans as one of the last African countries. It was the German merchant and adventurer Adolf Luederitz from Bremen, who bought in 1883 the bay of Angra Pequeña from Nama Chief Joseph Fredericks from Bethanien. He also bought the area in a 20 mile radius around the bay. The purchase price was then 10 000 Reichsmark and 260 guns. The bay is today known as Luederitz Bay.

In 1884, the German Empire took over the "protection" of Luederitz' possessions. A tiny corps of the "Kaiserliche Marine" landed in the bay and raised the German flag. From 1884 to 1914, Namibia was a "German Protectorate" called "Deutsch Südwestafrika". The German Empire sent the "Deutsche Schutztruppe" (Protection Corps). It had the task to transform the area between Oranje and Kunene into a German colony. German settlers were supposed to buy land and freely and safely establish farms. For this purpose the indigenous population, mainly Nama and Herero, was to be subjugated.
Deutsche Schutztruppe, Deutsch-Südwestafrika
Initially the colonisation proceded more or less peacefully. Treaties were negotiated with Nama and Herero representatives. In these "Protection Agreements" both groups were assured of military support. In return, the Nama and Herero agreed to let German settlers take possession of their land and use it agriculturally.

Eventually the Herero and the Nama realised that the German colonisation threatened their subsistence and their traditional way of life as free cattle and goat herders so both population groups rose in armed rebellion. These military conflicts lasted until 1908 and resulted in the total defeat of the black population.

At the beginning of the First World War, South Africa occupied the area and in 1920, she was given the country by the League of Nations as a mandate. When this was abolished in 1966 by the UN, South Africa rebelled and the result was many years of military struggle between South Africa and the Namibian liberation movement SWAPO, which was supported by the United Nations. On March 21, 1990 the political independence of Namibia was finally granted and a democratic constitution drawn up. SWAPO won the first free elections and became the strongest party. Its leader Dr. Sam Nujoma became the first Namibian President.

A more detailed summary of the Namibian history to be found on the INFO page.
Alte Feste in Windhoek, Namibia
Top left: Adolf Luederitz. Top right: Cannoniers of the German Schutztruppe, German South-West Africa. Bottom left: The "Alte Feste" (Old Fort) in Windhoek, built in 1890 by the colonial soldiers, today a museum.

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