The first genocide of the 20th century Herero and Nama in the German South-West Africa, 1904-1908
Between 1904 and 1908, about 80% of the Herero and 50% of the Nama were exterminated: a crime in African colonial history considered as the first genocide of the 20th century.
EXHIBITION SITE
In 1904, as a reaction to the rules imposed by the German colonial administration and the abuses and mistreatments of the settlers, a revolt broke out in South-West African Germany, today Namibia. The forces of the Second Reich repress it with brutality and defeat the Herero.
An extermination order – issued by General Lothar von Trotha on 2 October 1904 – enjoined the Kaiser’s troops to kill indiscriminately, thus condemning men, women and children. The Nama in turn take up arms against the Germans and suffer the same fate as the Herero.
In the concentration camps opened in 1905, such as those of Windhoek, Swakopmund and Shark Island, the prisoners Nama and Herero are eliminated by work and succumb to disease, maltreatment and malnutrition. Skulls of victims are then sent to Germany for racial scientific research.
Free entry – crypt and entresol level
To follow the exhibition on social networks: #GenocideHereroNama
guided tours
For individuals: on Thursdays, January 5, February 2 and March 9 from 7:30 PM to 9 PM.
Free without prior reservation
For groups: On request, reservation : Tel. : 01 53 01 17 26 or reservation.groupes@memorialdelashoah.org
publication
The first genocide of the 20th century, Herero and Nama in the German South-West Africa, 1904-1908.
Booklet of the exhibition Memorial of the Shoah, 2017.
Author: Leonor Faber-Jonker
Price: 12€
On sale at the bookstore of the Shoah Memorial or on the online bookstore.
Radio broadcast: The march of the world – RFI
Namibia: the genocide of the Herero and Nama – Saturday, November 26, 2016
By Valérie Nivelon
With the testimonies of Ida Hoffman, president of the Nama Genocide Committee and Ester Muinjangue, president of the Herero Genocide Foundation. Recorded in Namibia by Cécile Leclerc for La Marche du monde (2014).
LISTEN AGAIN THE SHOW
Partners of the exhibition:
SCIENTIFIC COMMISSION
Leonor Faber-Jonker, University of Leiden, Netherlands.
General Commissariat and coordination
Sophie Nagiscarde, Caroline François, Shoah Memorial, assisted by Émilie Jumez.
Scenography
David Lebreton, L'atelier collectif.
Graphic design
Emmanuel Labard, L'atelier collectif.
Photo: Soldiers of the colonial troops of South-West African German surrounding captive herero chiefs. Current Namibia, ca. 1904/1905.
© German Historical Museum, Berlin.
