Info on the German Southwest Africa decoration?

[landsknechte]

Could someone point me in the direction of some background material for the German Southwest Africa decoration?

[Dave Danner]

If you can read German, this site has some information: http://www.traditionsverband.de/schu...sw_afrika.html

[landsknechte]

I can sorta read it, enough to get the basic gist. My German is on the crappy side of mediocre, to be honest.

I probably should have been more specific in the initial posting. I mostly interested in the historical backdrop of what happened to lead to this medals awarding.

Thanks for the info,
--Chris

[Rick Research]

I recommend Jon M. Bridgman's "The Revolt of the Hereros," University of California Press, 1981.

After catastrophic cattle epidemics in the 1890s wiped out the Herero economy, a change in colonial policy led to the rapid and exploitative accumulation of native land (starving farmers being squeezed to sell their own legally held land cheaply) in the hands of a few ruthless German speculators wth the clout to influence home politics. The Hereros had previously been virtually independent. Contrary to Hollywood etc German colonial administration was arguably the BEST of the European powers, employing the local ruling classes in situ to continue "life as usual," skimming off the top in neglected colonies rather than grinding oppression. Colonies, for Germany, were not economic resources to be squeezed dry, but colored spots on the map that reinforced political "prestige"-- symbolic, rather than slave labor.

Then all that changed:

Life ceased to be normal, and old intertribal rivalries were put aside as the sudden eclipse of local systems led to a very modern style modern popular uprising-- the Hereros in many ways can be compared to the American Cherokees for westernization.

Militarily, the outcome was fore-ordained. A very bad commander and the profiteers back home led to a brutal, ugly, and nearly genocidal war-- because of the severity of the resistance encountered. It was as if 250 years of North American/Indian conflict was compressed into 20 years.

The Herero-Hottentot War was a disgraceful blot on Imperial Germany's record-- but unlike the other colonial powers, it was made MORE noteworthy by its singularity.

One indication of how "troublesome" the colony was in normal times may be judged by the fact that the Commander of the Schutztruppen there was only a MAJOR. The only time higher ranking officers appeared on the scene was with the invasion of 20,000 troops ( 10% of whom would become casualties).

Here are the shoulder boards of one of only twelve ST DOA officers to have held the rank of Oberstleutnant: