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German South West Africa

German colony site of the Herero and Nama genocide, taken over by South Africa in WWI.

German South West Africa was captured by South African forces during WWI; the last German commander surrendered on 9 July 1915, and the territory became a League of Nations Class C Mandate administered by the Union of South Africa.

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Further reading

• The Kaiser's Holocaust David Olusoga and Casper Erichsen · 2010

  Olusoga and Erichsen on the Herero and Nama genocide in German South West Africa.

• Absolute Destruction Isabel V. Hull · 2004

  Hull's study of German military culture and the South West Africa genocide.

Sources

• German South West Africa — Wikipedia
• Germans surrender Southwest Africa to Union of South Africa — History.com (via WebSearch 2026-06-25)