page_title: History of the Jews in Namibia
section_title: History (19th century-1965)
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Jews in Namibia / History (19th century-1965)
caption_attribution_description: Afrikaans: Nabyskoot van sentrale Windhoek English: Close-up aerial photo of Central Windhoek
context_page_description: The history of the Jews in Namibia goes back a little more than one and a half centuries. Non-existent in Namibia before the 19th century, Jews played an important if minor role in the history of Namibia since that point in time, despite their continuous small population. The most famous Namibian Jew was "businessman, philanthropist and Jewish communal leader" Harold Pupkewitz.
context_section_description: In the mid-19th century, Jewish merchants from Cape Town named the De Pass brothers became the first Jews in what is now Namibia when they established a trading post on the Nawaqualand Coast. The De Pass brothers began the Pomona Copper Company in Pomona, Namibia in 1861. After Namibia became a German colony in the late 19th century, more Jews established connections (such as business ventures) in Namibia. However, under German rule, only about 100 Jews lived in Namibia, most of whom lived in Swakopmund. After the German defeat in World War I, the newly created League of Nations gave South Africa a mandate over Namibia. The Jewish population of Namibia (which had close relations with the Jews in South Africa) began increasing after this point, and there were 400 to 500 Jews living in Namibia (mostly in Windhoek) in 1965 (Jews were still less than one percent of the total White population in Namibia during this time, though).
caption: Windhoek, the capital of and largest city in Namibia, and where some Namibian Jews live today.
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