| 1914 |
There are five motor cars in the
colony.
Windhoek has altogether approximately 1 500 inhabitants.
The OMEG develops into one of the most successful ventures in Namibian history. Between
1907 and 1914, a net profit of 26,6 million Mark is made and 6 million Mark are paid in
dividends.
Just before the outbreak of the First World War, development in a number of marble
quarries around Karibib continues. The Dernburg, Karibib and Etusis marble quarries have
reached the stage of larger-scale production. They are all linked to the railway line at
Karibib. Marble from these quarries is transported to Germany.
The first important gem tourmaline deposit is found in the mountains 3 km east of Usakos
where the DKGSWA mines tin. A druse is struck as tin operations are about to cease.
The German geologist Hans Schneiderhöhn investigates the copper deposits in the Otavi
Mountains.
In the year 1914 there are the following schools in the colony (for "white"
children only, founding dates in brackets): Gibeon (1900), Keetmanshoop, Grootfontein and
Swakopmund (1901), Karibib (1903), Kub (1907), Klein-Windhoek, Lüderitzbucht and Warmbad
(1908), Omaruru (1909), Klippdamm and Maltahöhe (1910), Aus (1911) and Usakos (1912). In
addition there are the high schools at Windhoek and Swakopmund and a private
Roman-Catholic school for girls in Windhoek.
In southern Angola Ombandja King Shihetekela is re-organising his resistance against the
Portuguese troops. This time he is successful and is able to hand over a large consignment
of conquered Portuguese weaponry to his ally, the Uukwanyama King Mandume ya Ndemufayo.
However, during World War I the Portuguese troops force King Shihetekela to retreat from
Ombandja into the Uukwanyama area. |
| March |
The post office at Hasuur is
closed. |
| 07.03. |
Post offices are opened at
Pomonahügel and Bogenfels. |
| 10.03. |
The post office at Prinzenbucht is
closed. |
| 19.03. |
The Ovaherero living in SWA have
reached a stage of stability and self-awareness in which they can begin to search for
their missing links in the chain of social relations. These are mainly to be found within
the community of exiled Ovaherero in Bechuanaland. On the other hand German settler
farmers are interested in obtaining additional labour forces. Consequently the farmer
Wilhelm Eichhoff, farm Okamatangara, writes to Bezirksamtmann H Görgens in
Omaruru, that for the past six months he has maintained an Ovaherero family from the Lake
Ngami area and that he requests that all police patrols be stopped, so that further
Ovaherero families could be induced to cross over from Bechuanaland.
The Territorial Council (Landesrat) calls for a change in legislation to allow
Ovaherero their own cattle again and to be granted access to land. This is, however,
turned down by Governor Theodor Seitz. |
| 29.03. |
A post office is opened at Bergland
to replace the Aub post office (closed 29.03.). |
| April |
The post office at Groß Barmen is
closed. |
| 01.04. |
Post offices are opened at Aroab
and Otjosazu. |
| 12.04. |
A post office is opened at
Gründorn. |
| May |
The first two aeroplanes arrive in
the territory: the Otto Doppeldecker ( double-wing) and the Aviatik Doppeldecker. Bruno
Büchner, Willi Trück and Alexander von Scheele are the first pilots. |
| 11.05. |
The Territorial Council
promulgates its first piece of legislation: the Water Bill. |
| 18.05. |
Inland airmail services commence. |
| 25.05. |
The post office at Ramansdrift is
closed. |
| 29.05. |
The Windhoek Agricultural Show is
held. |
| June |
A third aeroplane, a Roland-Taube
steel double-decker, arrives in the colony. Its Austrian pilot is Paul Fiedler (arrives
18.05). |
| 20.06. |
A post office is opened at
Omitara. |
| Mid-1914 |
Chief Simata Kabende Mamili
(1863-1914) dies in the Caprivi Strip. He is followed by six chiefs of the Fwe community
(Lifasi Simata (1914-1931)(from Makalani), Simata Lifasi (1931-1944)(from Makalani),
Simasiku Simata (1944-1971)(from Chinchimane), Richard Muhinda (1971-1987)(from
Chinchimane), Boniface Bebi (1987-1999)(from Linyanti). The last is George Simasiku (from
1999 onwards), great great grandson of Chief Simata. |
| July/September |
Heinrich Vedder and Bernhard Trey
from the Rhenish Missionary Society undertake, shortly before the outbreak of World War I,
an expedition into the Kaokoveld, in order to establish mission stations. Kaoko Otavi is
identified as an appropriate location. Trey tries to convince Chief Kasupi from the
Otjiyandjasemo area to support them, but Kasupi refuses to see him. When Trey links up
with Vedder again he relates a most peculiar rumour which he has heard from Ovaherero in
Angola, and which baffles the missionaries for months. He heard that the British had
invaded the Portuguese territory and that the exiled Ovaherero Chief Samuel Maharero had
invaded SWA and captured several German ships at Swakopmund. Later they learned the truth
that World War I had opened. The "bush telegraph" of the Kaokoveld had misled
the missionaries - but there had been a grain of truth in the rumours. |
| 02.08. |
World War I commences and the
Colonial Ministry in Berlin sends a telegram stating: "Colonies out of danger of
war. Calm down farmers." |
| 03.08. |
A railway line connecting the state
line and OMEG line at Rössing is completed. |
| 04.08. |
The Swakopmund and Lüderitz radio
stations are demolished by the Colonial Administrationas a result of the outbreak of the
war between Germany and England. |
| 06.08. |
Windhoek’s radio station
announces: "War with England, France and Russia!" |
| 07.08. |
The last steamers (Arnold Amsinck
and Eturia) land at Swakopmund, take some mail and steam towards South America.
The Bezirksamtmann of Rehoboth, Hiller von Gärtringen, calls a meeting of the Basterrat
(Council of Basters). Consequently Governor Seitz approves the establishment of the Baster
Corps, under the condition that Baster are not forced to fight against "whites".
The Baster soldiers are issued with German uniforms and weapons and are put under the
command of a German officer. |
| 08.08. |
Governor Seitz orders the
mobilisation of the Schutztruppe (1 870 men and 3 000 reservists). On the South African
side 60 000 soldiers are mobilised. The South African Army was far better equipped than
the German Schutztruppe. |
| 23.08. |
The first skirmish between German
and South African patrols occurs at Kummernais. Another skirmish takes place near the
police station of Nakop (beginning September).
Work begins on demolishing the state railway line between Swakopmund and Nonidas. This
marks the beginning of the end of the lower section of the state line, nearly 17 years
after its construction commenced. |
| 25.08. |
The post office at Barby is closed
(until 25.09.). |
| End August |
The post office at Khan is closed. |
| September |
The post office at Warmbad is
closed. |
| 02.09. |
The skirmish of Beenbreck occurs. |
| 10.09. |
The post offices at Pomonahügel
and Bogenfels are closed. |
| 12.09. |
Troops of the Union of South Africa
invade SWA after South Africa’s Parliament decides as such (Declaration of War of
09.09.). |
| 13.09. |
Ramansdrift station is occupied by
South Africans. |
| 14.09. |
South Africa sends its first
battleships to SWA. Battleship "Armadale Castle" shells the exposed town of
Swakopmund (23.09., 24.09. and 30.09.). |
| 15.09. |
The Boer rebellion breaks out. Boer
General de la Rey loses his life and Reverend Christiaan de Wet is later jailed. Commander
Andries de Wet informs a gathering at Lichtenburg in Transvaal that the South African
military intervention in SWA should be resisted. This leads to open rebellion by some
South African troops under the command of General SG Maritz. |
| 18.09. |
Construction of the railway line
from Otjiwarongo to Outjo begins, with the objective of extending it to Ovamboland
("Ambo" railway project). An embankment of 46 km is completed in February 1915
and the first 26 km come into operation. The project is stopped in February 1915 due to
the war situation. Existing permanent stock from the OMEG railway is used, as well as
dismantled material from the now broken-up Swakopmund-inland state line. The railway line
is surveyed by Hans Drinkuth.
The post office at Kolmannskuppe is closed. |
19.09.
|
South African troops land in
Lüderitz.
The post office in Lüderitz is closed.
The civilian German population is deported to South Africa. A protest note by Governor
Seitz remains unanswered.
Retreating German forces under the command of Lieutenant Münstermann blow up small
sections of the railway line from Lüderitz to the interior. Dismantled material is
brought inland to the Tschaukaib station.
The South Africans re-install the Lüderitz power station which was demolished by the
Germans. Unknowingly they also supply power to the Germans who still occupy Kolmannskuppe
in the east. |
| 21.09. |
Schuckmannsburg and the Caprivi
Strip are occupied by British South African Police. |
| 23.09. |
The Caprivi Strip is administered
by the Northern Rhodesia Police. |
| 24.09. |
The South African war vessel
Armadale Castle shells the open town of Swakopmund. The shelling is continued on 30.09. by
the South African war vessel Kinfauns Castle.
The Germans attack Walvis Bay under the command of Oskar Scultetus. |
| 26.09. |
Joachim von Heydebreck (units
Franke, Bauszus, Ritter and Von Rappard) defeats South African troops in the battle of
Sandfontein. The South Africans suffer heavy losses. This is the only battle during World
War One where the South African Defence Force suffers a resounding defeat at the hands of
the much smaller German troops.
The post office at Aroab is closed. |
| 29.09. |
The South Africans reach Grasplatz
railway station, 20 km east of Lüderitz. |
| 30.09. |
The last state railway train
leaves Swakopmund before the town is completely evacuated. |
| Sept./November |
The British construct a new
railway line from Prieska to Upington. The remaining 172 miles (277 km) to Kalkfontein
Süd (present-day Karasburg) are completed in July 1915. |
| October |
The Bezirksamtmann (District
Commissioner) of Outjo, Schultze-Jena, searches for some food supplies which went missing
in Angola. He crosses the Angolan border illegally and is requested by the Portuguese
officer Alferes Sereno to accompany him to Naulila. There is an exchange of fire with
Portuguese troops, although not at war with Germany, which kill most of the Germans.
The Commissioner for Ngamiland in British Bechuanaland who has been stationed in
Kazungula, Captain HV Eason, becomes the new Administrator in the Caprivi Strip. He moves
his seat from Kazungula to Kasane. |
| 02.10. |
The Boer General SG Maritz leaves
Upington with his troops. |
| 07.10. |
Maritz joins the Germans at Ukamas. |
| 09.10. |
Some South African Boers fight
alongside the Germans. The skirmish of Rooisvley under the command of Commander Andries de
Wet ensues (Another battle takes place at Keimoes on 22.10.). The last battle of the Boer
Free Corps is fought in Upington (24.01.1915). The Boers surrender on 31.01.1915. |
| 20.10. |
The first 32 km of the OMEG railway
line from Swakopmund are dismantled and the material is brought inland. The material is
used for the construction of the new Ambo railway line from Otjiwarongo via Outjo and
Okaukuejo into Ovamboland. |
| 26.10. |
Pilot Paul Fiedler undertakes
reconnaissance flights as far as Steinkopf in South Africa. |
| 30.10. |
Germans enter South Africa and
destroy the railway line from Steinkopf to Port Nolloth. |
| 31.10. |
In reaction to the Naulila
incident, the Germans under the command of Oswald Ostermann from the police post
Nkurenkuru at the Okavango River, raid the Portuguese fort Cuangar. The fort is destroyed
and most of the Portuguese and Angolan inhabitants are killed. Later the Portuguese call
this encounter the "Cuangar Massacre". |
| November |
South African troops repair the
isolated and destroyed sections of the railway line from Lüderitz to Aus. |
| 09.11. |
The South Africans reach Tschaukaib
station, 70 km east of Lüderitz. The Germans begin with preparations to defend Aus under
the command of Major Hans Bauszus. |
| 10.11. |
The post office at
Empfängnisbucht is closed. |
| 12.11. |
Von Heydebreck dies after being
wounded by accident with a rifle grenade (on 09.11.) at Kalkfontein Süd. His successor is
Erich Victor Carl August Franke.
The Germans under the command of Oswald Ostermann conquer the Portuguese fort Dirico after
the destruction the Portuguese forts Bunya and Shambyu at the Okavango River. |
| 16.11. |
Fort Mucusso in Angola is conquered
by the Germans. |
| 24.11. |
The Caprivi Strip is administered
by the Bechuanaland Protectorate (until 31.12.1919). |
| 18.12. |
German troops under Major Franke
attack Naulila and defeat the Portuguese troops. Franke is wounded and Georg Trainer takes
over command. After the battle some Portuguese prisoners of war are executed. Vita Tom
also takes part on the Portuguese side. He is able to escape.    
The German War Cemetery at Outjo (Kunene Region) remembers the
Skirmish of Naulila in Angola during World War One, October and December 1914 and various
Skirmishes and Battles during the Uprisings of Namibians against the German Colonial Power
between 1897 and 1904, Photos taken in September 2004
Copyright of Photos: Dr. Klaus Dierks |
| 22.12. |
The Germans beat the South
Africans at Nous, south of Stolzenfels. |
| 24.12. |
The post office in Swakopmund is
closed. |
| 25.12. |
South African troops (approx. 1
000 men) land at Walvis Bay.
Major Ritter gives order to Major Wehle not to defend Swakopmund but to delay any South
African advance to the east. |
| 27.12. |
South African troops under the
auspices of South African Railways and Harbours commence the construction of a new railway
line between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. The line follows the foreshore, a few metres above
the high-water level. |
| End December |
The post office in Rössing is
closed. |
| End 1914 |
Soldiers of the Baster Corps are
relocated to Nauchas, southwest of Rehoboth. The Baster protest, because it was agreed
that Baster soldiers should only be used within the Baster territory and not outside. The
Germans ignore the protest. Further protests are caused by the dissatisfaction that the
"Baster Corps" is used to guard SA prisoners of war at Uitdraai. This is
regarded as a "breach of contract" that the Corps is not to be used
against "whites". 
World War One 1914/15: Defence Tower erected by German Settlers
against feared Uprisings by Namibian Indigenes (Rehoboth Baster): Klein Nauas: between
Dordabis and Uhlenhorst: Khomas Region
Copyright of Photo: Dr. Klaus Dierks |
|
 
Germans blast the Railway Line between Lüderitz and Aus
Namibia State Archive
South African Prisoners of War in Windhoek (Background:
"Tintenpalast"): 1914/15
H Roth
SA Anti-Aircraft Gun against German Planes
Namibia State Archive |
