Germany’s first Genocide was NOT the Holocaust

Summary

This transcript discusses Germany's first genocide in Namibia, where over 100,000 Herrero and Nama people were systematically exterminated in the early 20th century. Driven by racist imperial ideologies, Germany’s colonial forces, under General von Trotha, executed mass killings and forced labor, setting the stage for the Nazi Holocaust. The speaker emphasizes the historical link between these atrocities and modern-day issues, including Germany's denial of its colonial past and its support for Israeli actions in Palestine. The narrative calls for recognition and reparations, highlighting the ongoing impact of colonialism on Namibia’s people today.

Takeaways

• 😀 The genocide of the Herrero and Nama peoples in Namibia was Germany's first genocide, preceding the Holocaust by decades.
• 😀 Approximately 100,000 indigenous people were killed through a systematic campaign of extermination by German forces.
• 😀 The genocide was driven by racist ideologies and the desire for land and resources under German colonial expansion.
• 😀 German settlers used deceitful land deals and treaties as part of an ethnic cleansing agenda against the Herrero and Nama people.
• 😀 Resistance against German colonialism began with the Herrero-led uprising in 1904, which initially succeeded in pushing back German forces.
• 😀 The German military's retaliation was brutal, culminating in the infamous extermination order that led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people.
• 😀 Survivors of the desert death marches were forced into concentration camps where they suffered from forced labor and sexual violence.
• 😀 The methods of genocide in Namibia, including concentration camps, forced labor, and medical experimentation, later influenced Nazi practices during the Holocaust.
• 😀 Germany has only recently acknowledged its role in the genocide, but there are still calls for reparations and the return of stolen land.
• 😀 The legacy of colonial violence continues today, with a small minority of European settlers controlling 70% of Namibia’s farmland, leaving the indigenous population in poverty.

Q & A

What was Germany's first genocide, and how did it relate to the Holocaust?

Germany's first genocide was the extermination of the Herrero and Nama people in Namibia. This genocide, carried out by the German Empire in the early 20th century, laid the foundation for the Nazi Holocaust decades later, as it involved similar racist ideologies, extermination tactics, and the use of concentration camps.

How many people were killed during the genocide of the Herrero and Nama people in Namibia?

It is estimated that 100,000 Herrero and Nama people were killed in the genocide, which represents a large portion of the indigenous population. By 1908, approximately 80% of the Herrero and 50% of the Nama were killed.

What role did ideology and tactics play in the genocide of the Herrero and Nama people?

The genocide was driven by racist nationalism and imperialism, which sought to eliminate indigenous populations to make way for German settlers. This included land seizures, forced labor, and extermination through starvation, disease, and violence. The same ideologies and methods were later used by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

What was the significance of the extermination order issued by General Lothar von Trotha?

The extermination order issued by General von Trotha in 1904 was a pivotal moment in the genocide. It declared that any Herrero found inside German territory would be executed, regardless of their age or gender, and survivors were driven into the desert where they faced death by thirst, famine, and poisoning of water wells.

How did the Germans use concentration camps during the genocide in Namibia?

After the Herrero were driven into the desert, survivors were captured and sent to concentration camps, where they were forced into labor. These camps were notorious for their brutality, and many prisoners died due to poor conditions, forced labor, and violence. Some women and children were subjected to sexual slavery.

What were the long-term consequences of the genocide for Namibia's indigenous population?

The genocide resulted in the loss of a significant portion of the indigenous population and left deep economic and social scars. Today, 70% of Namibia's farmland is owned by a small European minority, while many indigenous Namibians continue to live in poverty, demanding reparations and the return of their land.

Why has it taken so long for the genocide in Namibia to be recognized and for reparations to be demanded?

The genocide in Namibia was largely ignored or denied for much of the 20th century, as Germany sought to obscure its colonial history. Recognition and reparations only started to gain attention in recent years, as the descendants of survivors began advocating for justice, reparations, and the return of stolen land.

What parallels exist between the genocide in Namibia and the Holocaust?

The genocide in Namibia laid the groundwork for the Holocaust in several ways. Both involved systematic extermination, forced labor, and concentration camps. Doctors who conducted experiments on Herrero and Nama prisoners in Namibia later applied similar methods to Jewish people in the Holocaust. This shared history highlights a continuum of German genocidal practices.

What role did German settlers and colonial soldiers play in the genocide of the Herrero and Nama people?

German settlers were complicit in the genocide, as they seized indigenous land and sought to displace or exterminate the Herrero and Nama. Colonial soldiers played a key role in implementing the extermination order, committing acts of violence, and using forced labor in concentration camps.

Why do the descendants of the Herrero and Nama people continue to demand reparations and land restitution?

The descendants of the Herrero and Nama people continue to demand reparations because the genocide left them with lasting socio-economic disadvantages. With much of Namibia's land still in the hands of a small European minority, they are fighting for the return of stolen land and acknowledgment of the atrocities committed by Germany.