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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 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.
The German colonies 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. As the colonies were widely separated with different peoples and environmrents. The history of each colony thus differs markedly.
We have limited information on German colonial policy toward educating colonia people. Like the other European powers hey seem to have neglected to do this, perhaps because of the cost and because this was not a major objectuve of European colonialism. German East Africa (modern Tanzania) appears to be an eception. A german reader writes, "German colonies were administered by their colonial governors, and so the government differed drastically between colonies because of this. The German instituted school system in Tanzania [German East Africa] was widely regarded as the best in Africa. Namibia was horrific, and Togo was pleasant enough that the Togolese government invited their former German colonial governor to attend their independence celebrations. Neither Namibia nor Togo had the school system that Tanzania had. The British neglected it when they took over the colony after WWI, and did not attain parity again for over a generation. Germany was generations ahead of British/French public education in Africa." We are not sure we agree with the conclusion, but apparently the Germans founded the first public school system in Africa. [Böttiger]
The Germans were, however, basically disatisfied, with the empire they acquired. They saw 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. For a new nation this was a matter of some concern.
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.
The weakness of the German strategic position soonm became apparent with the outbreak of World War I (1914). Germany had a modern highseas fleet, but it was small compared to the Royal Navy which instituted a North Sea blockade. As a result, all of Germany's colonies were cut off abnd isolated. Germany thus lost its colonies in Africa abd Oceanjia. The German colonies in Africa were divided up amongst Allied powers (Belgium, Britain, France, and South Africa). They were made League of Nations mandates. Britain got most of them.
Böttiger, Jens. Internet exchange (October 13, 2016).
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