German South West Africa

German South West Africa
Deutsch-Südwestafrika
1884–1915
Flag of German South West Africa
Service flag of the Colonial Office
Coat of arms of the German Empire of German South West Africa
Coat of arms of the German Empire
Green: German South West Africa Dark gray: Other German colonial possessions Darkest gray: German Empire (1911 borders)
Green: German South West Africa
Dark gray: Other German colonial possessions
Darkest gray: German Empire (1911 borders)
StatusColony of Germany
CapitalWindhuk
Official languagesGerman
Recognised regional languagesAfrikaans
Khoekhoegowab
Oshiwambo
Otjiherero
Setswana
Ethnic groups
99% Black African
0.8% White
0.2% other
Religion
Christianity
Indigenous beliefs
Governor 
• 1894–1905
Theodor von Leutwein
• 1905–1907
Friedrich von Lindequist
• 1907–1910
Bruno von Schuckmann
• 1910–1919
Theodor Seitz
Historical eraScramble for Africa
• Start of colonial occupation by the German Empire
7 August 1884
1904–1908
• Union of South Africa occupies German South West Africa
9 July 1915
28 June 1919
Area
1912835,100 km2 (322,400 sq mi)
Population
• 1912
250,000
CurrencyGerman South West African Mark
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Uukwambi
Uukwaluudhi
Uukwangali
South West Africa
Today part ofNamibia

German South West Africa (German: Deutsch-Südwestafrika) was a colony of the German Empire from 1884[1] until 1915,[2] though Germany did not officially recognise its loss of this territory until the 1919 Treaty of Versailles.

German rule over this territory was punctuated by numerous rebellions by its native African peoples, which culminated in a campaign of German reprisals from 1904 to 1908 known as the Herero and Namaqua genocide.

In 1915, during World War I, German South West Africa was invaded by the Western Allies in the form of South African and British forces. After the war its administration was taken over by the Union of South Africa (part of the British Empire) and the territory was administered as South West Africa under a League of Nations mandate. It became independent as Namibia on 21 March 1990.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hammer-2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "German South West Africa". Away from the Western Front. Retrieved 12 May 2023.

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