german time in southern of africa

[johannes sheyavali]

well well well.........
i use to think about it but then i don't get it.
what was really the aim of the German people here in
sourthen Africa especially here in Namibian

and one thing i want to know is that ....how do German people
feel as they are coming here in Namibia southern of Africa
looking to the statue of their people in Africa?
you feel honoured, bosses, sympathy, charity, helpless, proud ?
any one please tell me.
this also has to do with world wars early 1800s in Africa.

and how do you understand to your own view about this issues
of German government offering the offer to the Herero people who had been badly killed and that's what we call a massacre during 1800s in Africa. do you support those who are saying they have to be given the offer or you are those who want the German government to regret it? please just tell me kindly briefly about this...
this is why this site is there for.

[Chris Dale]

Hello Johannes,

It's good to hear from Windhoek!

You asked about the purpose of the German colonisation of Namibia. I think like all colonies the idea was to make some more money for German traders and the German government. As it happened I don't think many of them made much money apart from a few lucky diamond miners.

You asked how it feels for German people to see their statues in Namibia. I'm not German so I can't answer for them, but as a Briton when I see statues from the colonial era I feel saddened and sorry. It was a different age back then, people thought and acted in a very different way, dreadful misdeeds and murders were committed in all the colonies in the name of the homeland. There's nothing we can do to change the past, but we can remember what happened and try to make sure similar things do not happen again.

As for the German government's partial apology for their actions in the Herero War, well, at least they have made some sort of apology. There is not a lot more that they can do is there? After all, the people in the German government today are not the ones there 110 years ago. And the Hereros of today are not the ones who directly suffered.

What are your views on the Germans in Namibia?

All the best,
Cheers
Chris

[soldat_m56]

well well well.........
i use to think about it but then i don't get it.
what was really the aim of the German people here in
sourthen Africa especially here in Namibian

Johannes,
I believe there was a diamond mining operation going on in German Southwest Africa. Someone correct me if I am mistaken.

In regards to feelings about the colonies, since I am not German-born I can not correctly answer, but my family was in Germany in the late 1800s during the "Scramble for Africa". I feel a mixture of pride and regret. Proud that Germany was once a great empire, but regretful of much of the exploitation going on. This really wasn't any worse than other countries (including the USA) at the time.

Just wondering, how prominent are German descendents in Namibian society today?

[consultant10]

Johannes Sheyavali;

Can we ever understand the soul of a nation? Europe and America needed all types of resources and labour for war and peace. Africa was the pawn. European nations founght amongst one another to claim the prize of Africa. That was the primary point of WWII. Roosevelt, Churchill and Hitler recognized the importance of Africa. All three European leaders either claimed colonies or resources. In the case of Roosevelt it was rubber. This led to the restrictions placed on the Garvey Movement in Liberia.

Paramount for the redemption of Africa is that as a people we value our land and nationhood more than others. Africa will then gradually cease to be the pawn for Europeans and Black people with vulgar notions about African Nationalism. These Africans see the continent as a pay check for personal gain and are no better than Europeans who have done the same for Centuries.

Thank You for the opportunity to comment.

Dr. IM Spence-Lewis

[cj]

African colonialism in no way shape or form started world war II. Hitler had no colonies on the continent and didn't desire any.b

[Chris Dale]

Thank you CJ, I tend to agree with you. I would say that a small part of the reason for the First World War was colonial rivalry, but even then only a small part. Perhaps Dr. IM Spence-Lewis is could expand on what he means here?

Cheers
Chris