Folkedrabet på Herero-folket

In 1884, Namibia was declared German protectorate in the scramble for Africa. And soon the German colonial powers send their ships to the shores of Namibia where they set foot. The lands, the natives were using for their cattle was seized so that white settlers could move in, and start farming. Only the Khoikhoi tripe did an initial resistance but some deal was made to bring peace between them. But the white settlers started to force the natives into forced labour in slave like conditions. Thus resistance groups were starting to form among the natives and in 1903, some of the native tribes started the first revolt lead by Hendrik Witbooi, this revolt was quickly joined by Herero’s. It was to be the inception of the natives struggle for freedom, and came to an end in their near extinction when the German Lieutenant-General Lothar von Trotha and additional reinforcement arrived and forced them into the desert, in which the water holes had been poisoned.

The second revolt started after the loaning had reached its pinnacle and the white men required the debt to be paid. But in their lack of money cattle and other valuable object were taken causing much confusion and anger among the natives. This conflict was not helped by the racism, where in the court; one white man was equivalent to seven black men. In the early 1904 Samuel Maharero, chief of the Herero people, together with his people surrounded Okhandja and cut of its connection to Windhoek the colonial capital. He then told his people not to kill any Boers, Englishmen or other factions but the Germans only. As this was just after they had surrendered their weapons to the governor Leutwein, he had withdrawn half of all the troops stationed in the colony. The natives killed so many Germans, that Leutwein was required to send a request for reinforcements, as well as high-ranked officer. Lieutenant-General Lothar von Trotha came to the colony shortly after with lots of men. Discussions on how to solve it between the two broke out, because Leutwein insisted on killing their leaders and then create a peace agreement, whereas the Lieutenant-General was eager to kill every native.