Figure 1.--With the installation of the new Kaiser, Wilhelm II, Germanny began participating in the European Scramble for Africa (1888). This is a postcard mailed from the German colony of Kamerun (Cameroon). It was seems to have been post marked May 25, 1914--just before the War. It was mailed from Ebolowa, 70 mi South of Yaoundé. The caption reads, 'Jengonne-Kinder. Süd-Kamerun'. Jengonne is clearly an ethnic group (i.e. Jengonne people) because it ws used on other pre-War German posdtcards. Probably it was a term used by German colonialists, but we don't see any modern references. Kamerun was seized by the Allies during World War I.
At the time there were two matters seems as prerequisites for great powers and national prestige -- battleships and overseas colonies. Germany had the wealth and technology to build battleships. Colonies were a little more complicated. There was not much of the world left to colonize. The two were related. There was no way of creating and maintaining overseas colonies without a highseas fleet. Prestige was important to the Germans, especially the new Kaiser Wilhem II. So Wilhelm with Bismarck our of the way began set about acquiring a number of scattered colonies. It was Bismarck that had aplayed a role in estranging Prince Wilhem from his more liberal parents. Now his young protoge was dispensing with his services. Germany acquired colonies in both Africa and the Pacific. The German colonies were mostly largely unsettled lands of little interest to the other European powers. As a result, unlike the other major European countries, Germany did not have the opportunity to carve out a large colonial empire. The Germans did join the grab for Africa, seizing Camaroons, German East Africa (modern Tanzania), Southwest Africa (modern Namibia) (1884) and Togo. The Germans also seized a large also seized a large area of the South Pacicic, including northeastern New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and island groups to the northeast(the Carolines, Marianas, Marshalls, and Samoa as well as Nauru ) (1885-99). The Germans in addition acquured a Chinese concession and built a port city and naval base -- Tsingtao (1898). This was one of the so clled treaty ports.
Germany did not retain its new colonies very long. After World War I broke out, Britain's command of the sea allowed it to seize the various German colonies. Japan participated in this effort in the Pacific. The Versailles Treaty stripped Germany of its colonies assigning trusteeships to Australia, Britain, Belgium, France, Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa. Japan proceeeded to fortify the Pacific islands it obtained. Truk became the Gibraltar of the Pacific. While virtually unknown to the general public, these islands became important in the World War II Pacific campaign (1941-45). As far as we know there is no significant German population or influence remaining in any of these colonies. Namimbia may be a minor exception.
The new European states (Germany and Italy) also paricipated in the Scramble for Africa. The Germans were. however, late to the table and did not in the 1870s have a navy of any importance. The Germans saw, however, that colonies were a measure of a county's importance--a matter of national pride. Some Germans saw their lack of colonies as one of a serious of grevances and that Germany was not being given its due as a great mation. The Germans wen on to claim their own colonies in southern, eastern, and western Africa. There were five different African colonies. They were bits of Africa and Asia, mostly wild or empty lands that were not of particular interest to the British and French. Cameroons (Kamerun) is now Cameroon as well as parts of the Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon and Nigeria. German East Africa (Deutsch Ostafrika) is now Tanganyika (continental part of Tanzania) as well as Burundi, Rwanda and the Ruvuma triangle (now part of Mozambique. German Southwest Africa (Deutsch Sudwestafrika), now Namibia. Gross-Friedrichsburg is now southern Ghana. Togoland is now Togo and the eastern part of Ghana. The Germans were, however, basically disatisfied, seeing their African and Pacific colonies a very paltry empire compared to that of Britain and not at all in keeping with the importance and needs of Germany. Unlike the British and French coloniesm the German colonies were scattered around the continent. This and the Royal Navy made it difficult for Germany to defend its colonies in World War I (1914-18). As a result. Germany lost its colonies. The German colonies in Africa were divided up amongst Belgium, Britain, France, and South Africa after the War as League of Nations mandates. Britain got most of them. The Versailles Treaty stripped Germany of its colonies assigning trusteeships to Britain, Belgium, France, and South Africa. Prime-Minister Chmberlain tried to buy Hitler off with these colonies to prevent World War II. Hitler was not interested. There does not seem to be any significant German population or influence remaining in any of these colonies. Namimbia may be a minor exception.
South Pacific
German traders as the German states beegn to industrialize became active in the Pacific (mid-19th century). J.C. Godeffroy & Sohn, a Hamburg firm, established a trading base in Samoa (1857). It began to establish a copra plantation (1867). They also behan griwing cotton. Their cotton and copra plantations covered an area of of over 4,300 acres and employed more than 1,200 workers, primarily Gilbertese and New Hebrideans. Eduard and Franz Hernsheim established trading bases in the Bismarck Archipelago and the Marshall and Gilbert Islands (1870s) Goddefroy went bankrupt (1879), but their interests were assumed by Deutsche Handels- und Plantagen-Gesellschaft der Sűdsee-Inseln zu Hamburg (DHPG). The comoany pushed the German Givernment to annex Samoa to obtain forced workers for its plantations. The quest for forced labor trade resulted in a regional conflict. Soon after, the Germans moved to obtain a large area of the South Pacicic, including northeastern New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and island groups to the northeast (the Carolines, Marianas, Marshalls, and Samoa as well as Nauru) (1885-99). The British and Austrlians seized the islnds at the outset of World War I. The League of Nations after the War assigned trusteeships to Japan (northern islands) and Australia and New Zealand (southern islands). Japan proceeeded to fortify the Pacific islands it obtained in violtion of the commimrnts to the League. Legue . Truk became the Gibraltar of the Pacific. While virtually unknown to the general public, these islands became important battlef=grounfs in the World War II Pacific campaign (1941-45). The fight for yhe Msrisnasa would sel Japn fate as air strips there brought Jon within range of the new B-29 Superfortress.
The Germans in addition acquured a Chinese concession and built a port city and naval base -- Tsingtao (1898). This was one of the so called treaty ports. Germany did not retain its new colonies very long. After World War I broke out, Britain's command of the sea allowed it to seize the various German colonies. Japan participated in this effort in the Pacific.
There does not seem to be any significant German population or influence remaining in any of these colonies. We note that Tsingtao beer is an artifact of the German origins.
