German South West Africa: A Centennial Bibliographic Essay

Scholars of the German period of South West African/Namibian history (1884-1915) have yet to produce a truly balanced and comprehensive picture of both German colonialism and African initiatives and responses. The older studies concentrate on the diplomatic, economic, settlement, and military aspects of German colonialism in the territory, but neglect or seriously underrate the importance of the African peoples and leaders. Historians of the past generation have reversed this emphasis to examine the origins and tragedies of the Herero and Nama resistances of the mid-1890s and, more especially, the years 1904-1907. As a result, not even the best of the historical studies of German South West Africa present the kind of complete picture that first-rate historians have provided of the other German colonies in Africa. Bibliogr.