The subject of colonial clasps is interesting, but fraught as a large number of these are fakes. For instance, in post 328 the Kalahari 1908 clasp is a fake, as it was on a fake medal bar which I used to own. I'm doubtful on some of the other ones as well.
Circa 1910. image of a veteran with the decoration, surrounded by his family
The Herero and Nama Uprisings in Former German South-West Africa
The Herero and Nama Uprisings in Former German South-West Africa
Adolf Lüderitz (1834 - 1886)
Angra pequena. Later Lüderitz Bay
What became known as the German South West Africa was established as a German colony in 1884 at the initiative of Bremen merchant Adolf Lüderitz who acquired land (Angra Pequena Bay, later Lüderitz) in South West Africa which he placed under the protection of the German Empire, giving rise to the colony.
Medallion commemorating the raising of the imperial flag in the territory in 1884
Situation map. Deutsche Südwestafrika
In blue circles, from north to south, the name of the native people living in each area: Owambos, Hereros and Namas
In 1903 there were approximately 4,700 European settlers in the protectorate, of whom nearly 3,000 were Germans, most of them in the towns of Lüderitz, Swakopmund and Windhoek.
Lüderitzbucht
Swakopmund
Windhoek
Keetmanshoop
The place was a sandy desert, a large country, one and a half times the size of the German Reich, very sparsely populated, 200,000 people who were often not visible because they were ranchers who grazed their livestock over long distances. They were mainly 80,000 Herero, 60,000 Owambo, 35,000 Damara and 20,000 Nama, the disparagingly called Hottentots. This area was considered suitable, firstly, as a German colony and, secondly, for cattle breeding, which was due to the sight of the large herds of Herero cattle.
Three images of German farmers in the territory
A Herero family
New large-scale German settlements brought about changes in the treatment given to the native Herero and Nama peoples by Europeans, as the natives suffered increased legal discrimination and the expropriation of their lands for use by European settlers.
Typical German farm on the territory
Herero farm workers
In addition, the Herero were a nomadic people dedicated to raising and herding cows and an outbreak of rinderpest in 1897 decimated their livestock; this and arbitrary land grabs led to their change of social class: they went from being cattle breeders to becoming wage laborers on German farms. The mistreatment and humiliation that the Herero people had to endure was serious....
Hereros before the war
Herero Chief Bandju in 1895
Herero Chief Kambazembi in 1895
The Governor and commander of the Schutztruppe since 1895, Theodor Leutwein (who remained so until 1905) was a man of moderation and who over the years had earned the respect, cooperation and even friendship of many native chiefs....
Theodor Leutwein (1849 - 1921) he was a native of Baden
Leutwein with Hereros
Leutwein knew the lust for land and the cruelty of the settlers; the bias of the judiciary and the inaction of the colonial state. And he knew that this had created a sense of discrimination and injustice among the OvaHerero that would eventually erupt into violence....
Negotiating with Herero chiefs in 1895
Theodor Leutwein -left- and Samuel Maharero -right-
Governor Theodor Leutwein with the "Kapitan" captain of the Nama Hendrik Witbooi and leader of the Herero Samuel Mahahero
After the Battle of Otjundo (image above), Theodor Leutwein meets with the captain of the Witboi, Hendrik Witboi, and the leader of the Herero, Samuel Maharero. The three are closely related: in 1894 Major Leutwein, then commander of the Schtuztruppe, defeated Hendrik Witboi and the Orlam he led, a tribe related to the Nama. Leutwein renounced the destruction of the Orlam people and signed a treaty of protection to secure peace with Hendrik Witboi.
Meanwhile, Samuel Maharero had become the chief of the Herero, also thanks to the imperial protection force.
Image from 09/22/1907 Members of the German protection force (Schutztruppen)
Theodor Leutwein had succeeded in linking the two most powerful tribal leaders in German South-West Africa with him and made them dependent on him. Samuel Maharero returned the favor for Leutwein's support by accompanying him on a multi-month exploratory tour of the north of the colony and providing military support to the German protection force in the fight against the Ostherero in 1896. The relationship between the later Governor Leutwein and Hendrik Witboi is described as good and with Samuel Maharero even as one of friendship.
In the German Empire, however, such details were of no interest: the rebellion of the OvaHerero would be seen as a rebellion against the established order. And a peace agreement with the rebels "could only consist of their unconditional submission," as Chief of the General Staff Alfred von Schlieffen put it.
Alfred von Schlieffen Inspects Troops Prior to their Deployment in the Herero War (May 1, 1904)
So Leutwein's indirect rule was also at stake: "Half of the political independence that had hitherto been allowed to the natives had to be eliminated," the head of the colonial department, Oskar Stübel, explained to parliament. The OvaHerero were to cease to exist as independent political actors and this required a total victory....
German Protection forces at the foot of the Waterberg
Tension among the native population increased due to the loss of land, abuse by settlers and hunger, despite the good management of the conflict by the governor...
The Herero Uprising
The Herero Uprising
Finally, in 1903, some of the Khoi and Herero tribes rebelled and war broke out on January 11, 1904. The first uprisings took place in Okahandja, a small town in the heart of Namibia, where Chief Samuel Maharero, leader of the OvaHerero, was based.
From there they spread to the entire OvaHerero area in a matter of weeks. Settlements and farms were raided and some 150 German settlers were killed (many were tortured) although the attackers spared women and children.
Windhoek garrison attacked by the Herero
However, most of the 4,700 settlers and officials were able to escape to fortresses where they resisted the attacks. Troops sent from Germany found the infrastructure virtually intact, allowing the German command to quickly seize the initiative.
Theodor Leutwein, on the other hand, warned again and again against too radical a war plan. He had attended the Berlin War Academy, was a veteran of the 1870/71 war, and had then taught tactics. So, he was very familiar with European warfare when he went into colonial service; But here he quickly learned that even the most tried military approach could not be easily transferred to colonial theaters. He was ignored.
The Herero were more numerous than the original German colonial force Schutztruppe of 2,000. But the Germans received reinforcements under the command of Lieutenant General Lothar von Trotha.
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