German Namibians
Encyclopedia
German Namibians are a community of people descended from ethnic German
colonists who settled in present-day Namibia
. In 1883, the German trader Adolf Lüderitz
bought (from a local chief) what would become the southern coast of Namibia and founded the city of Lüderitz
. The German government, eager to gain overseas possessions, annexed the territory soon after, naming it South-West Africa
. Small numbers of Germans subsequently immigrated there, many coming as soldiers
, traders, diamond miners, or colonial officials. In 1915, during the course of World War I
, Germany lost Southwest Africa (see History of Namibia
); after the war, the former colony became a South Africa
n mandate. The German settlers were allowed to remain and, until independence in 1990, German
remained an official language of the territory.
, respectively. However, the numbers of German Namibians, rather than of Namibian speakers of German, are uncertain, for many Namibians of German descent either no longer speak German or prefer classification as Afrikaners.
, and in smaller towns such as Swakopmund
and Lüderitz
, where German architecture, too, is highly visible. Many German Namibians are prominent in business, farming, and tourism or as governmental officials. For example, the first post-independence mayor of Windhoek was a German Namibian. The interests of the community are usually voiced through Africa's only German-speaking daily, Die Allgemeine Zeitung. The legacy of German colonialization in Namibia can also be seen in the Lutheran Church
, which is the largest religious denomination in the country.
Many place names in Namibia carry names of German origin. The main road in the capital city, Windhoek, before independence had retained the name Kaiserstrasse ("Emperor Street").
According to the 2001 Census, only 1.1% of all Namibian households use German as a home language (3,654 households), which is much less than that for Afrikaans (39,481 or 11.4%) or English (6,522 or 1.9%).
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
colonists who settled in present-day Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. In 1883, the German trader Adolf Lüderitz
Adolf Lüderitz
Franz Adolf Eduard Lüderitz was a German merchant and founder of the first German colony in Southwest Africa....
bought (from a local chief) what would become the southern coast of Namibia and founded the city of Lüderitz
Lüderitz
Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :...
. The German government, eager to gain overseas possessions, annexed the territory soon after, naming it South-West Africa
German South-West Africa
German South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990...
. Small numbers of Germans subsequently immigrated there, many coming as soldiers
Schutztruppe
Schutztruppe was the African colonial armed force of Imperial Germany from the late 19th century to 1918, when Germany lost its colonies. Similar to other colonial forces, the Schutztruppe consisted of volunteer European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical and veterinary officers. ...
, traders, diamond miners, or colonial officials. In 1915, during the course of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Germany lost Southwest Africa (see History of Namibia
History of Namibia
The history of Namibia has passed through several distinct stages from being colonised in the late nineteenth century to Namibia's independence on 21 March 1990....
); after the war, the former colony became a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n mandate. The German settlers were allowed to remain and, until independence in 1990, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
remained an official language of the territory.
Language
Today, English is the country's sole official language, but about 30,000 Namibians of German descent (around 2% of the country's overall population) and possibly 15,000 black Namibians (many of whom returned from East Germany after Namibian independence) still speak German or Namibian Black GermanNamibian Black German
Namibian Black German is a pidgin language spoken in various parts of Namibia. It is a non-standardized variety. Namibian Black German is based on standard German....
, respectively. However, the numbers of German Namibians, rather than of Namibian speakers of German, are uncertain, for many Namibians of German descent either no longer speak German or prefer classification as Afrikaners.
Communities
Most German-speakers live in the capital, WindhoekWindhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
, and in smaller towns such as Swakopmund
Swakopmund
Swakopmund is a city on the coast of northwestern Namibia, west of Windhoek, Namibia's capital. It is the capital of the Erongo administrative district. As a seaside resort, the weather is cooler here in December to January so the territorial administration moves to Swakopmund for these months...
and Lüderitz
Lüderitz
Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :...
, where German architecture, too, is highly visible. Many German Namibians are prominent in business, farming, and tourism or as governmental officials. For example, the first post-independence mayor of Windhoek was a German Namibian. The interests of the community are usually voiced through Africa's only German-speaking daily, Die Allgemeine Zeitung. The legacy of German colonialization in Namibia can also be seen in the Lutheran Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia is a Lutheran denomination based in Namibia. It has a total membership of over 600,000, mainly in Northern Namibia. It played a significant role in opposition to Apartheid in Namibia and was part of the Namibian independence struggle.The church developed...
, which is the largest religious denomination in the country.
Many place names in Namibia carry names of German origin. The main road in the capital city, Windhoek, before independence had retained the name Kaiserstrasse ("Emperor Street").
Decline
The percentage of the population of Namibia formed by Germans has declined recently, spurring speculation that the overall number of German Namibians is decreasing. But the decline in the percentage of German Namibians is mainly due to their low birth rates (still above replacement rate) and the fact that other Namibian ethnic groups have higher birth rates and bigger families. Unlike other southern African white groups, emigration to Europe, Australia or North America is not common. German Namibians tend to emigrate instead to South Africa.According to the 2001 Census, only 1.1% of all Namibian households use German as a home language (3,654 households), which is much less than that for Afrikaans (39,481 or 11.4%) or English (6,522 or 1.9%).
See also
- Ethnic Germans
- GermansGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
- History of NamibiaHistory of NamibiaThe history of Namibia has passed through several distinct stages from being colonised in the late nineteenth century to Namibia's independence on 21 March 1990....
- German South-West AfricaGerman South-West AfricaGerman South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990...
- Namibia Breweries LimitedNamibia Breweries LimitedNamibia Breweries Limited is a Namibian brewery founded in 1920 when Carl List and Hermann Ohlthaver acquired four small breweries with financial difficulties. The breweries were merged together under the name South West Breweries Limited . SWB changed its name to Namibia Breweries Limited when...
A German style brewery in Namibia - Scouts of Namibia
- Afrikaaners