Curt von François
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Curt (Karl Bruno) von François (October 2, 1852 - December 28, 1931) was a military and political figure in the early days of German colonialism in Africa. He is primarily known as one of the pioneers of German Southwest Africa (present-day Namibia); however he also had considerable experience as a cartographer and administrator in other regions of the continent. He founded Windhoek.
He was born in Luxembourg and died in Königs Wusterhausen.
In 1883, the German merchant Adolf Lüderitz purchased Angra Pequeña following negotiations with a local African chief. He called the coastal region of southwestern African "Lüderitz". Fearing that Great Britain was soon to declare the area a protectorate, Lüderitz advised the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck to claim it, which he did at the Berlin Conference of 1884.
In order to provide security to the territory, Germany sent Hauptmann von François to the British-held enclave of Walvis Bay in 1889. From there François and a handful of men trekked to the former and completely destroyed village founded by Jonker Afrikaner of Windhoek in the interior of the territory. It is here that François set up headquarters of the German occupation (which he called Alte Feste (Old Fortress)). The location was chosen because Germany felt it would serve as a buffer zone between the Nama and Herero tribes.
From March 1891 until March 1894, François was commissioner of German Southwest Africa. During this time (1892) he established the coastal town of Swakopmund as the main harbour of German South West Africa. In 1893-94 he was involved in a series of battles with the Nama tribe led by Hendrik Witbooi. François was replaced by Theodor Leutwein as commissioner of German Southwest Africa in 1894.
The original Schutztruppe headquarters built by François in 1890 at Windhoek was expanded in 1912, and has been a museum since 1962.
[edit] External links
- Biographies of Important Namibians
- Deutsch-südwest-afrika: Geschichte der Kolonisation bis zum Ausbruch des Krieges mit Witbooi by Curt von François at Google Books
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| Persondata | |
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| NAME | François, Curt von |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | François, Kurt von; François, Curt Karl Bruno von |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | carthographer and commissioner of German Southwest Africa, founder of Windhoek |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 2, 1852 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Luxembourg (city) |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 28, 1931 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Zernsdorf, Brandenburg |
