you're watching news coming up next is dr phil namibia shadows of colonialists situ and for that and don't forget you can always get more information around the clock at g.w. dot com for now on the spicer thanks for. putting. the adventures of the famous naturalist and explorer. to some of the racial conflicts on the front of the world's 250th birthday we were embarking on a voyage of discovery. expedition voyage on g.w. .

monument to namibia in southern africa bears these words to preserve the colony against the herero uprising with god for emperor and empire glory be to those who are loyal unto death. for 30 years the german colonial rulers governed over the peoples of namibia the shadow of this foreign rule is long and the stories are on forgotten. did you ever hear the story told by the elders of the village at the 5. stories about the battles of the all of them by a. cure owing stories from the war against colony and this. being the onto of the system was born for us the. last half. hour.

well it is the art of resistance in the media march 2018 at the march of genocide in the movie and to recall the slaughter that the german colonial troops carried out against the ancestors of 1000 unama. they were colonial german army uniforms it's a dark chapter in history that germany prefers to forget. indymedia it's a history that burdens people to this day. in. the picturesque town of swap want namibia's atlantic coast. in front of the town hall stands the marine memorial which commemorates the german soldiers who brutally oppressed an uprising by the 100 people of namibia more than 100 years ago . and outreach says city councillor copy introduced a motion for the monuments removal. is a bit better germany that's my opinion it's better to. destroy it.

does me. in my motion. to take it to the miss you so that we can put. forth for this going to get independence choice what we want. a group of activists recently splashed blood red paint on the memorial hero and now more people have gathered for a protest. the statue is a disgrace a monument to colonial and racial oppression. their way the german people were outraged. and that's their way that just. because they don't know what they did and still we're having the blood of their blood to. namibia's colonial past is more visible and than anywhere else in the country.

with its light house and cafes the town is more reminiscent of a german seaside resort than a provincial capital in southern africa. the scenic spotless charm us walk up and trust throngs of tourists to this day the town is still dominated by whites about 2000 people live in the. some of them are descendants of the 1st settlers who came here under german colonial rule. just a few kilometers from the center of it lies another world some 60000 people live in one day so many of them in poverty. every day life here is shaped by unemployment there aren't enough schools or job

training opportunities much of the housing is of poor quality. people here struggle with an uncertain future. to the roots of this poverty law and to be as colonial past. all the way as he saw with the words and. all of the farms you see in the hands of the german people not to. send the store. some of them lend also the. will to the. well. i mean that is 7 now as i'm talking.

where to this conflict over land began much of southwestern africa's. in the 19th century the inhabitants were nomadic cattle breeders hunters and gatherers. the largest groups were the. they traveled the land in search of fertile soil and water. the lack of water was a shared problem there were no fixed borders the people lived according to the principle by land as were my cattle grains. but conflicts over grazing land and cattle theft were common. the land was too arid to support the ever larger herds. too in the past deserts to find the landscape the nominee and the cholera. in 829 the german relish missionary society sent its 1st missionaries. they took

photographs and kept a diary which remains an important historical document. the germans founded missions they named battalion noise and vocal talk. to bring the light of civilization to the dark continent they said. local people were deeply skeptical about the missionaries arrival. but i guess you don't want. to just go to. the sea i guess you'd have to go to so long to decide to home. in the wake of the missionaries the 1st colonial settlers began to arrive most of them from europe. they came in search of land and cattle and in their view the land was uninhabited. increased competition over resources intensified local conflicts

some of which erupted in violence the delicate balance had been disrupted. the white settlers deliberately fuelled these conflicts sometimes they sold weapons branding and promises to one tribe sometimes to another. the land they captured remains the cornerstone of white farm altars in namibia to this day. place to lend i'm going our country. and those of us who parents have been driven away from here lend. lend and other properties. which today should have been a why in hell he did us. and who is the provision led to our people being plunged into generational poverty. for more than 100 years.

the conflict intensified when i took back a merchant from plame and arrived in namibia and 883. he helped to find natural resources such as copper and minerals which he planned to sell in europe and a great profit. ringback if i don't influence was a man of dubious reputation his tobacco plantations in mexico had failed as had his attempts to establish business operations in west africa now he had his sights set on the bay of picking that. he began negotiations with the local number of people. their negotiations specified english miles but the purchase contract specified german miles 4 and a half times as much land as had been agreed. this fraud accounted for i don't know it's an enormous estate german emperor a good one but 1st issued a writ of protection and on august 7th 1904 the imperial flag was raised over the

navy and coast. i grew up it was renamed leader of its base. this was just the beginning soon the german protectorate encompassed one and a half times as much land as germany itself. like elsewhere in europe the population of germany was growing rapidly as was the demand for food. europe was bursting at the seams and increasingly set its sights on overseas colonies the newly founded german empire was also flexing its muscles in search of raw materials cheap labor and land for colonial settlers. they imagined themselves in africa a vast exotic land of opportunity and adventure the european conquest of africa began. the german chancellor otto from bismarck wanted to act as mediator issuing

invitations to what became known as the berlin conference. in late 1904 the competing european states met to negotiate colonization and trade in africa the race for territory what became known as the scramble for africa was underway germany 2 sought to stake its claim for a place in the sun. these conduct of believe me for a very long time. for holiness and we were told the names of the conduct partners who believe. the extraordinary skills the diplomatic happiness the motivation behind everyone the pacific nation of africa big good deeds of civilization of africa. the courage of the explorer's the self for getting humanism. but nobody. absolutely nobody pointed to the insult to the disc on that followed as if you were. english in france italy and portugal had already seized land in

africa european colonial powers began to build trade relations they were soon joined by germany which established colonial settlements in togo cameroon east africa and what they called german south west africa today's namibia. this decision to colonize africa affected the whole africa in its development so africa was left behind african resources were taken away to europe and as a result we developed as poor people people were left yet so there when it's come to it and i mean it was not only a question of taking the resources away from us but it's also a question of eliminating the population of this country so that has a serious impact on our society. after the berlin conference

more and more german settlers began to arrive and there may be a. big triggered conflicts among the local people in order to acquire territory. they signed a treaty of protection with the chief or the herero saying they would defend the herero against the nama a treaty that also served their own interests. the legendary not much chief hendrik with boy wrote to chief samuel. i learned that you have given yourself into german protection. this dry land is only known by 2 names and our land and the money. and ease and autonomy as reality. of the captain and leader has any right to force his way. but if you do you captain you have next step to another group and have handed yourself over to

a human supremacy for protection. but my dear can't. do you realize what you have done that will be to you like this son which the jackal carried on his bed in which burned him nearly to death. with the sun on his back the traditional namibian fable as a warning against false friends. boy kept a diary and wrote many letters an afrikaans language that was widely used in southern africa at the time today these documents are on the world heritage list. hero of the anti colonial resistance. portrait adorns the namibian currency. when hendrik record and chief marrero agreed to make peace german colonial troops

should torpor attack the nama community at horn cards with the aim of eliminating which point the attack was a brutal massacre helpless women and children were killed with boy escaped. with boy wrote and now from whose hands is the blood shed coming the entire world should ask. but the world had little interest and looked away. for the people of namibia the situation grew ever more desperate forced labor and corporal punishment became the order of the day public executions were commonplace. we do not wish to be beaten. at the last it could be the beginning to eat back. the theft of their land and the humiliation at the hands of the german colonial troops united the

peoples of namibia the herero revoke the letter of protection with the germans a resistance movement was born. some woman had it all wrote. our people were wrong and mocked by german merchants. was taken away with force. they were frocked to maltreat it. some men were shot like dogs when they refused to give away their women and children our chiefs consulted and determined that the war would not be their worries and we had to go for the war was in the air for the germans this was an insidious insurrection of bloodthirsty savages. for the herero and it was a war forced upon them. had it all called for armed struggle. let us be fair to day to. give away the fighting rather than by mel treatment.

on january 12th 1904 the 1st shots were fired. officers of the german administration railway stations and shops were attacked and destroyed white farmers were killed their wives and children were spared. on january 21st 1004 more than 100 at all wrote. about. maybe coming. war. only to get into. duty. i mean we can all make a motion. but only know. how many cows in the now we know. a poor me. the german colonial troops were

no match for the herd of they called for reinforcements from germany. additional military equipment and troops were dispatched and soon some 20000 men landed at. the german emperor installed a new commander at the head. it's very difficult to describe. how it feels to boom and not the gym and only ts of the time. actually said down. and in a calculated mina. in a coach related manner. decided to to say it somebody who was handpicked to come into a specific job. in one tada came here.

and for the 1st time in the history of mankind. said out they did all settle intended in writing. that. i wanted my troops to go out there. to wipe out. a whole community. from the face. of the earth. in east africa and china no tough one torta had already earned himself a reputation as a harsh and merciless soldier. his message from the media was. clean it up hang it up shoot it down destroy the rebellious tribes with streams of blood and streams of money. on august 11th 1000 or 4 tens of thousands of headed old people gathered with their families and their herds at the water birth. there was enough water and food for everyone this was

their ancestral land and they planned to defend it and. the heard it all remember the fighting that followed as the battle of. general issued his infamous extermination order. they had had 0 are no longer german subjects within the german borders every head at all with or without a gun with or without cattle will be shot. i will no longer accept women and children i will drive them back to that people or i will let them be shot at these are my words to the head of people the great general of the mighty german emperor. the head oh understood this was a call to genocide. in the initial battles to get it all beat back the german troops. like the colonial troops they were familiar with the climate and the terrain.

it wanted to drive ahead it all into the desert and blocked other escape routes a quote from him says the waterless on my aching shell completes what the german weapons had begun the annihilation of the hetero people. we are company muddier cut your you to come 1st to the former battlefield for members of the people this is a very important place in our history of genocide. and i caught the emotional touch with this area because i see even now i don't see the bodies of my heroes i feel emotionally that they are here and they felt here they showed bravery against. the machinery of germany and no one in the media today is called the land of the brave because i want to show

determination to receive it gains what was fighting to take away from what you see what they are what what belongs to them. the struggle you off the enemy was to circle the place where i could do with getting water and to an extent also poisoning the water so that they will heal. and this is what happened and that's why this place this very important in our history. with it. for me it's really here this. is my 1st time ever since i was born to be here. if you hear the history from our people in you. realize what happened here. it's a it's

a it's it's pain would you feel on behalf of all the pain that you cannot describe . in words. because my people have to face. the magic jim in. me all the. a moment in question mission and everything. my people are they going to be they did not have enough. guys. not to those big. nationally. but for the left of the our own country they said they'd lose face it. men women and children if you're going on here and so on we'll even pick up things like that . today this land belongs to a white farmer whoever wants to enter it must obtain his permission it's really really very painful it even. in death than in the media you have to ask for

permission for someone to come here while this place should actually belong to us. only about 1200 had it all were able to escape including some well known how do you know the others were trapped the watering holes have been poisoned by the germans anyone who tried to flee was shot about 85000 people died of hunger and thirst. at the foot of the water berg might fall in german soldiers. pick up names ringback dates of birth and death and military honors. the cemetery is supported by the german war graves commission ringback there is no mention of genocide killed or regret. ringback a small plaque is hidden at the rear wall of

a cemetery that is supposed to recall the fallen hero warriors but it bears no names other information. we know where we lived where is the very we please this so i'll. pass those places and they don't belong to us. so it's not something that is forgotten the reality is still there. would see the mountain of water back which was why. this is that very thing that we lost it so you grow up knowing and my parents would talk grandparents would talk about it once the situation was before they were congress. after the genocide what was called the necessary labor material

became scarce who would do the work needed to operate the colony the country needed new railway lines to service settlers the military and trade operations including a railway line gets the work was hard and the weather near the atlantic was cold and stormy the men and women recruited into forced labor were used to a desert climate thousands died. traces of. today you know gates is a small colonial town in the south of namibia the fishing and the harbor are the lifeline of the community and the buildings were called the town's glory days in which the colony was economically viable for germany. but little bits also has a much darker history. the

infamous shark island today it's both a tourist attraction and a memorial. this is where the germans set up a concentration camp in which they imprisoned any native people they deemed troublesome. it was only one of many concentration camps in the country. is retracing her family's roots her great great grandmother was imprisoned here. little is known about her but jessie day hopes to find out more. what was her life like in the camp conditions here were terrible every day brought death to many men women and children. i think most of the time what she would have been doing is just leave in fear you know fear just tara zone

if she was the only one from the family that was here you don't know if everybody else have survived the alive am i ever going to see them again. i guess i just died here trying to escape because you don't know what lies ahead from here. zain. more than half of the people imprisoned here perished. the strong and healthy were sold to white farmers 20th century slave trade women in the camp were forced to clean the skulls of the beheaded using shards of glass. skulls were packed in boxes and sent to the shell get a hospital in berlin for research purposes. this research would evolve into the racial science that flourished under the nazi regime. some of the were. men had to

clean the heads off you know the men and people that were beheaded you know it could have been a brother could have been an uncle could have been you know somebody who was just here you have to clean this. the sexual assault committed by the german soldiers are also part of this dark history. my whole family from both sides have driven like. my grandmother says and told me that there was a german soldiers around and there was a captain who then would call for her demand for her to come to the barracks i think the way they used to live so what my grandmother sister told me is that then they would put a jacket on her and the hat and then they would say they would drag her as if she's drunk because they both german soldiers would hold her own you know on both sides

like this so they shoot so when they're walking into the gates maybe simpler than other drugs soldier then they would take her to the captain's quarters. and oh. most of the rapes were never officially documented but their impact has reverberated down the generations. and. you know there's. one of the things is the whole psychological effect. this kind of they've been all these atrocities hit on on on on our people it seems as if somehow someway my people stop there rightly or. because somehow in the past this whole thing was killed. by the way with. genocide or

whatever you know. it's the genocide. so our dignity. human being being was really really. seriously. after the battle of water birth the german colonial society proclaimed. nothing but the memory of the former independence of the head shall remain. the imperial colonial office decided to confiscate the assets of native peoples black africans were prohibited from purchasing land and what they already owned was annexed and given away. after their victory the colonial authorities introduced regulations to limit freedom of movement among the local population. anyone who wished to leave their assigned home had to apply to the german colonial administration. from the age of 7

native people were made to wear a metal identification tag that bore an identification number and the persons ethnic group. police stations cropped up around the country and the authorities to monitor and control the native peoples every movement. the native people had lost everything their land their herds much of their families the community. they were forced to work as slaves for the new masters the colony must finally be made economically viable came the orders from berlin the claim was that this would educate the negro to work. here above the world is filled with plenty of hardships and difficulties everywhere. god has disappeared i don't hear anything about him where he might be come up with

me for is incredible a man was being encircled has to cry. slavery concentration camps public executions all in full view of the eyes of the world a few years later the 1st world war began. in namibia the german colonial forces were vanquished by the english from south africa 1915. after germany was defeated in the 1st world war the treaty of versailles stipulated that it had to surrender its colonies. the administration of no maybe up past to south africa. the german colonial troops left the country passing through and new to its base. but the german settlers remained on their farms and they kept their mines and all of their possessions the english had no interest in taking control of german farms and the

local people were not asked what they wanted. in the 1930 s. the poisonous national socialist ideology spread from germany to southern africa many german settlers hope to regain the lost colony. in southwestern africa heil hitler became a common greeting. germany was dreaming of world conquest and many believe that maybe i would also become german again. nationalism and racism also took ever deeper root in south africa where daniel milan was elected as prime minister in 1988. promised to turn southern africa into a white man's land. apartheid was introduced in south africa and in namibia discrimination and mistreatment of black africans became part of state policy the silent war was now under. people were separated according to race the city's became

white as did the beaches shops and parks black africans were relegated to townships from south africa was perfecting the racism but germans had started. and now in the 1960 s. black africans began to mobilize they founded south west africa people's organisation for swappable. and. its 1st leader was the anti-apartheid activist. who would later become the 1st president of namibia swappable fought for independence from south africa and against oppression and the 5th of their land many civilians joined the resistance the war of independence was long and claimed many lives.

in 1990 swapo defeated the south african military swapo leaders same new drama return from exile he spent 30 years abroad mainly in tanzania and then called up. the 1st free elections took place sparking fresh hope the old. inventory was renamed independence avenue. namibia was the last african country to gain independence. namibia now had to forge a new path the relationship between the now independent namibia and germany the former colonial power had to be reinvented. questions of guilt. and responsibility took on renewed importance the german government decided that monetary compensation

would be the way to atone for the past. germany began to provide namibia with development aid more than to any other country but germany didn't acknowledge the genocide in its former colony or issue an official apology. for signs of colonial rule remained ever present like at these nameless graves in a cemetery and. the people of namibia wanted recognition of their suffering and acknowledgement of the lasting wounds of the colonial past. in 2011 representatives of the head and nama people went to berlin to reclaim some of the remains that had been sent from the concentration camps nearly a century before. a joint ceremony was planned at the shot a hospital where many of the skull still were but all did not go as smoothly as

hoped. german government officials were reluctant to receive the emissaries from namibia the delegation was told that the skulls were from head to toe and number of people who had died in namibia. the cause of death and the genocide remained unmentioned. the namibian delegation had hoped for an apology just as the german government had demanded for turkey with respect to the genocide against the armenians. oh yes they must apologise they must apologise they must not to try to and if they have courage us not to apologize there in germany to stand there and i want to just they have to come to the company maybe a. and coming up to their opponents as he sat in front of the people. in

2015 lynn appeared to change course the german government finally acknowledged its historical responsibility for the genocide what this market a new chapter in relations between germany and namibia it watchable. understocked of knowledge is the heavy burden of the german colonial troops incurred for crimes against the hetero nama and son peoples the war of extermination in namibia between 10041000 weight was a war crime and genocide with german plunder stuck there for emphasizes germany's continuing responsibility for the future of namibia i mean. germany had finally acknowledged the genocide but what would be the result how would berlin address its responsibility i hope question poland's was appointed chief negotiator but talks were held only within the media and government. descendants of the head of and nama victims were not invited to the negotiating table. that had it all and now about

representatives waited 2 years but negotiations stalled in 2017 they went to court in new york filing a class action lawsuit against germany the german government repeatedly failed to appear for the hearings ignoring the demands of the nama and headed old people. to march of genocide has come to the cemetery. for the head oh unama the past is not over they pay their respects to their ancestors and remember their wounds the government negotiations are still underway. the victims have a clear demand germany must acknowledge the genocide apologize and make reparations payments will push poland responded. there will be no personal monetary compensation because these are the great great grandchildren of the

victims germany only paid compensation to immediately tombs after the 2nd world war people who had suffered directly. so who decides who has suffered directly and who has not. in the center of there is a monument called the genocide statue. it recalls the suffering experienced of a german colonial occupation and calls upon the various groups to find new ways to deal with the past. we were countries who continue with our demand and deal in germany there will be a generation that is sensible and would understand that this what has happened in the past should be corrected and it will be corrected when the 2 people who are talked to one another and agree. solution to this problem.

germany came to us as a doc chapter and we want to clean that up to come within a new generation a new shipped off development and then progress in the whole and be part of the world. if you're pretty. i want a bit. africa. if you do come. and i'm not here. please come around to my grave. inside quietly. that africa. is free. and you're not.

when much of europe wanted to kick them out marie i'm not pro-gun he invited them in. if we can i landed some most is home to one of the worst pretty she can see in the mediterranean. but one woman makes life a little better for her new neighbors. mama maria and the refugees of somerset. 30 minutes on d w. german industries are dependent on subsidies each year the german state pumps billions of euros into the private sector. too much some experts say. get others believe that subsidies are necessary. what's the situation like elsewhere in

europe. made in germany in 90 minutes on the w. staying up to date don't miss our highlights w. program on line d.w. dot com highlights. where is home. with your family scattered across the globe. to come. back to the roots we should get a minimum of. the sean sharlee from somalia live around the world among them needed urgent assistance of. family starts october any on d w. this

is d w news these are our top stories. u.s. president donald trump. wants china to investigate former democratic vice president joe biden and his son hunter biden had business dealings with a chinese company meanwhile congressional investigators have heard testimony from the 1st witness in the impeachment inquiry against. dozens of people have been killed in 3 days of anti-government demonstrations in iraq 6.