Herero and Nama genocide

__NOTOC__{{imperialism}}While the [[Belgium#Kingdom and colonial empire|Belgians]] were suffering from the [[Belgian Congo|Congo fallout]] during the [[Scramble for Africa]], the [[German Empire|Germans]] also managed to sneak in a little bit of [[genocide]] in Deutsch-Südwestafrika (modern Namibia in southwestern Africa).

==Background==

Between 1903 and 1904, the rising German settler population in the area were straining the arid landscape's resources and causing discontent among the native tribes.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite web |website=Britannica |title=German-Herero conflict of 1904–07 |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/German-Herero-conflict-of-1904-1907 |last=Erichsen |first=Casper |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}</ref><ref name="References">
* {{cite web |website=Herero Genocide in Namibia - Montreal Holocaust Museum |title=Herero Genocide in Namibia |url=https://museeholocauste.ca/en/resources-training/herero-genocide-namibia |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}
* {{cite web |website=European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) |title=Inherited Testimonies: The German Colonial Genocide in Namibia - Performances |url=https://www.ecchr.eu/en/event/inherited-testimonies-der-deutsche-kolonialgenozid-in-namibia-performances |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}
* {{cite news |work=The Forbes |title=The Herero-Nama Genocide: The Story Of A Recognized Crime, Apologies Issued And Silence Ever Since |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2018/05/24/the-herero-nama-genocide-the-story-of-a-recognized-crime-apologies-issued-and-silence-ever-since |author=Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab |date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}
* {{cite web |website=The Conversation |title=Germany’s genocide in Namibia: deal between the two governments falls short of delivering justice |url=https://theconversation.com/germanys-genocide-in-namibia-deal-between-the-two-governments-falls-short-of-delivering-justice-246719 |date=January 7, 2025 |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}</ref> The most significant of these nations were the Herero, who had managed to obtain [[horse]]s and modern [[firearm]]s.<ref name="Britannica"></ref><ref name="References"></ref> Despite it being uncertain which side initiated combat, the Herero were able to put up a tenacious resistance to the Germans.<ref name="Britannica"></ref><ref name="References"></ref> They were, however, inevitably defeated and forced to retreat into the desert. The Nama people would also rise up, with similar results.<ref name="Britannica"></ref>

==Genocide==

The "driven into the desert" idea gave the Germans an idea. The German commander named Lothar von Trotha ordered his troops to drive every Herero man, woman and child out of their towns and [[Mass shooting|shoot]] the ones who resisted.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Guardian |title=Germany moves to atone for 'forgotten genocide' in Namibia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/25/germany-moves-to-atone-for-forgotten-genocide-in-namibia |date=December 25, 2016 |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}</ref> Many thousands died of hunger and thirst, and the 13,000-or-so survivors were rounded up into [[concentration camp]]s to be beaten and worked to death.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Guardian |title=The forgotten genocide |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jan/31/genocide-namibia |date=January 31, 2010 |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}</ref> It is estimated that about 80% of the Herero and Nama population were exterminated.<ref name="References"></ref><ref>{{cite news |work=The New York Times |title=Germany Grapples With Its African Genocide |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/29/world/africa/germany-genocide-namibia-holocaust.html |last=Norimitsu |first=Onishi |date=December 29, 2016 |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}</ref>

==Aftermath==

In a chilling foreshadow of [[the Holocaust]], the Germans leveraged [[Phrenology|skull measurements]] to justify calling the Africans ''Untermenschen'' ("subhuman"), and experimented on some of the survivors.<ref name="References"></ref><ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Smithsonian Magazine |title=A Brutal Genocide in Colonial Africa Finally Gets its Deserved Recognition |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/brutal-genocide-colonial-africa-finally-gets-its-deserved-recognition-180957073 |last=Gross |first=Daniel A. |date=October 28, 2015 |access-date=May 1, 2025 }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths=300 heights=200>
File:Herero_and_Nama_prisoners.jpg|Chained Herero and Nama prisoners during the genocide.
File:Herero Nama Shark Island Concentration Camp 06.jpg|German Soldiers packing the skulls of executed indigenous Namibians at Shark Island Concentration Camp, circa 1903.
File:Herero Nama Shark Island Death Camp Lieutenant von Durling 05.jpg|Photo of Lieutenant von Durling at the death camp at Shark Island, German South West Africa (now Namibia).
</gallery>

==See also==

* [[Holodomor]]
* [[Bosnian genocide]]
* [[Rwandan genocide]]
* [[Armenian genocide]]
* [[Khmer Rouge#Khmer Rouge crimes|Cambodian genocide]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:Genocide]]

Categories: Africa, Germany, Genocide