Herero and Nama genocide

Quick Facts: Who was Herero and Nama genocide?

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Herero and Nama genocide

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The systematic extermination of the Herero and Nama peoples by the German Empire (1904-1908).

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Herero and Nama genocide, or the Namibian genocide, was the extermination of the Herero and the Nama people in German South West Africa (now Namibia) perpetrated by the German Empire between 1904 and 1908. Around 40,000 to 80,000 Hereros (80 percent of their pre-war population) and 10,000 Nama (half of their pre-war population) died. Facing the consolidation of German rule and attempts to subjugate Africans into a subordinate labor reserve, Herero chief Samuel Maharero launched a surprise uprising on 12 January 1904. Initially, the Herero uprising was a success, although colonists were enraged at being defeated by a people they considered inferior. After reinforcements arrived from Germany, the Herero were surrounded and routed at the Battle of Waterberg in August.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

During the following months, they fled into the Omaheke Desert where a majority died from thirst, starvation, or small-scale German massacres. German commander Lothar von Trotha ordered the execution of all Herero men, but in practice, women and children were also killed. Kaiser Wilhelm II ordered Trotha to abolish the expulsion and extermination policy which led to the incarceration of all Herero people in concentration camps, where around half of those captured died due to disease, malnourishment and overwork. The Nama initially fought alongside the Germans, including against the Herero at Waterberg. However, they revolted against the Germans in September 1904, which lasted until 1908.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

On 22 April 1905, limited by Wilhelm's veto on his earlier expulsion and extermination policy against the Herero, Trotha introduced a new policy that gave Nama the option of surrender and incarceration instead of execution. In 2015, Germany acknowledged that a genocide had been committed. Later negotiations with the Namibian government led to a controversial deal in 2021, according to which Germany would pay out 1.1 billion euros (US$1.3 billion) in the form of ex gratia development aid, while rejecting any legal responsibility for the genocide. The Bantu-speaking Herero people migrated to present-day Namibia from the north as early as the twelfth century. They lived mainly as pastoralists, with cattle central to their culture and economy, indicated by the name Herero meaning "possessor of cattle".

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1904: 1904 Milestone — The Herero and Nama genocide, or the Namibian genocide, was the extermination of the Herero and the Nama people in German South West Africa (now Namibia) perpetrated by the German Empire between 1904 and 1908.
2. 1905: 1905 Milestone — On 22 April 1905, limited by Wilhelm's veto on his earlier expulsion and extermination policy against the Herero, Trotha introduced a new policy that gave Nama the option of surrender and incarceration instead of execution.
3. 2015: 2015 Milestone — In 2015, Germany acknowledged that a genocide had been committed.
4. 2021: 2021 Milestone — Later negotiations with the Namibian government led to a controversial deal in 2021, according to which Germany would pay out 1.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Herero and Nama genocide

True or False: “The primary catalyst for the Herero uprising was an immediate, critical shortage of land in 1903.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Research indicates that while land was a grievance, the land question was not considered urgent by the colonist population in 1903.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. H. M. Jones — Historical peer (Born in 1904) (1904): Pioneering British historian of classical antiquity, specializing in the later Roman Empire.
• Abai Qunanbaiuly — Historical peer (Died in 1904) (1904): Foundational Kazakh poet, composer, and Islamic reformer of the 19th century.
• Abraham Maslow — Historical peer (Born in 1908) (1908): Pioneering American psychologist known for the Hierarchy of Needs and self-actualization theory.
• Amon Göth — Historical peer (Born in 1908) (1908): Austrian SS functionary and war criminal, commandant of Płaszów concentration camp.
• Adolph Menzel — Historical peer (Died in 1905) (1905): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.
• Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg — Historical peer (Died in 1905) (1905): Grand Duke of Luxembourg, ruling from 1890 until his death in 1905.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Historical peer (Died in 2015) (2015): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• Abdullah of Saudi Arabia — Historical peer (Died in 2015) (2015): King of Saudi Arabia, known for his role in modernizing the kingdom's governance.
• Aaron Beck — Historical peer (Died in 2021) (2021): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• Abdelaziz Bouteflika — Historical peer (Died in 2021) (2021): Algerian politician who served as the seventh President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.

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