German West African Company
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The German West African Company, in German Deutsch-Westafrikanische Gesellschaft / Compagnie, was a German chartered company, founded in 1885, which exploited two German Schutzgebiete in West Africa known as German West Africa, but apparently, unlike German East Africa, without a central authority.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early Settlement
[edit] Namibia
Initial European contact with the areas which would become German West Africa came from traders and sailors, starting in January 1486 when Diogo Cão landed in what would become Namibia. However, for several centuries, European settlement would remain small and temporary. In February 1805 the London Missionary Society established a small mission in Blydeverwacht. The efforts of this group met with little success. In 1840 the London Missionary Society transferred all of its activities to the Rhenish Missionary Society. Some of the first representatives of this organization were Franz Heinrich Kleinschmidt who arrived in October 1842 and Carl Hugo Hahn, arrived in December 1842. They began founding churches throughout what would become Namibia. The Rhenish missionaries had a significant impact initially on culture and dress, and then later on politics. During the same time that the Rhenish missionaries were active, merchants and farmers were establishing outposts.
[edit] The Rise of the German West Africa Company
[edit] Namibia
On 16 November 1882 a merchant from Bremen, Franz Adolf Eduard Lüderitz, requested protection for a station that he planned to build in South-West Africa, from Chancellor Bismark. Once this was granted, his employee Heinrich Vogelsang established a city at Angra Pequena which was renamed Lüderitz. The German claims on this land were confirmed during the Conference of Berlin. By 1885 Lüderitz was in financial trouble and was forced to sell his holdings to a private company that would become the German West African Company[1].
On April 30, 1885 the Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft für Südwest-Afrika (German Colonial Company for Southwest Africa) was founded with the support of German bankers (Gerson von Bleichröder, Adolph von Hansemann), industrialists (Count Guido Henckel von Donnersmarck) and politicians (Frankfurt mayor Johannes von Miquel)[1]. The company promptly buys all of Lüderitz land and mining rights, following Bismark's policy that private rather than public money should be used to develop the colonies. During 1885 the company expands and explores the new territory. Then, on April 17, 1886 a law creating the legal system of the colony is passed, creating a dual system with laws for Europeans and different laws for natives[2].
Over the next several years relations between the Germans and natives continue to worsen. Additionally, the British settlement at Walvis Bay as well as numerous small farmers and missionaries are all involved in the area. A complex web of treaties, agreements and vendettas increase the unrest in the area. In 1888 the first group of 20 Schutztruppen (protection troops) arrive to protect the base at Otjimbingwe. By the end of the year, the German commissioner Heinrich Ernst Göring is forced to flee to Walvis Bay after negotiations fail with a local tribe. Also, in the 1890s, the South West Africa company is nearly bankrupt and had to ask Bismark for help and additional troops. By 1890 the colony was declared a Crown Colony and additional Schutztruppen were sent to the area[3].
[edit] Kamerun
Now modern day Cameroon
[edit] Togo
Now modern day Togo and part of Ghana.
[edit] South West Africa
Now modern day Namibia
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources and references
- CRWFlags.com contains its flag
- WorldStatesmen- here Cameroon & Togo
- Chronology
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