BIOGRAPHIES OF NAMIBIAN PERSONALITIES
in alphabetical order

KLAUS DIERKS
Copyright © 2003-2004 Dr. Klaus Dierks

O

002138
#Oab, Mythological !Gami-#nun Captain (Bondelswarts)
*
+
---
#Oab  (meaning "Wind") was the fourth mythological Captain of the !Gami-#nun (Bondelswarts) after |Aib, around 1800. His successor was ||Nanib (before 1840).
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Gender: m
Field of activity: POL
Profession: Traditional leader
Functions: Captain - Bondelswarts - around 1800

RAW DATA: Budack 1972:243-244; Chronology of Namibian History, 2003 (Dierks);

000587
||Oaseb, !Nakhomab, Kai||khaun Captain (Red Nation)
[||Oaseb, Cornelius - alternative name]
*  ca.1800 in Namibia
+ .1867 in Namibia
---
!Nakhomab ||Oaseb (Cornelius ||Oaseb) was the Captain of the Kai||khaun (Red Nation) since 1840, as successor to !Na-khom Gamab (1824-1840). He was the tenth in the genealogy of the Kai||khaun. Probably during the 1840s, he moved with some of his followers from the upper reaches of the Fish River to the Skaap River (Kubakop River) near Hatsamas. He wanted to settle near his ally, Jonker Afrikaner. The Kai||khaun also settled at Rehoboth (|Anhes) and Tsebris. ||Oaseb concluded a peace treaty with the Captain of the Kai|khauan, Amraal Lambert, in 1841. In August 1843 Orlam Afrikaner Captain Jonker Afrikaner asked Rhenish Missionary Heinrich Kleinschmidt to write a letter to !Gami-#nun (Bondelswart) Captain Abraham Christian, not to proceed with his plans to attack the Ovaherero, together with the Kai||khaun. In 1843 ||Oaseb visited Windhoek for the first time in order to establish a link with Jonker Afrikaner. In 1844 Carl Hugo Hahn reported that ||Oaseb had established a kind of a "tourist police" to protect foreign travellers. In 1844 he attacked Ovaherero leader Kahitjene without Jonker Afrikaner, his protector, lifting a finger to assist him. Kahitjene's defeat can be directly attributed to his attempt to have tried to win independent access to arms and horses, with assistance of Rhenish missionary Carl Hugo Hahn. In December 1846 ||Oaseb attacked Ovaherero and Ovambanderu, in co-operation with Jonker Afrikaner. But, right from the beginning ||Oaseb's relations with Jonker Afrikaner were characterised by a mixture of co-operation and conflict. In February 1850, for instance, he sought the support of Swartbooi Captain Willem Swartbooi (!Huiseb #Haobemab) against Jonker Afrikaner, but Swartbooi refused. During the same time Captain Tseib split from the Kai||khaun and formed the separate group of the Kharo-!oan in Keetmanshoop. ||Oaseb established a new centre at Hoachanas with Rhenish Missionary Vollmer in 1853. But, many Kai||khaun refused to leave their settlements at the Skaap River and to live with the missionary. In 1854 it is reported that he fought against Jonker Afrikaner. In 1856 ||Oaseb, together with Hendrik Henricks of the ||Hawoben, attacked Ua Tjirue Tjamuaha, without success. The arrival of European miners intensified various conflicts between Jonker Afrikaner and other Namaland chiefs, such as ||Oaseb of the Kai||khaun and Willem Swartbooi (!Huiseb #Haobemab) from Rehoboth. Jonker had Hendrik Henricks (or !Nanib gaib #Arisemab) of the ||Hawoben and Piet Koper !Gamab of the Fransman Nama or !Khara-khoen as allies. In the end, the Kai||khaun-Swartbooi alliance became the weaker party. Jonker was, however, not successful to win over Kido Witbooi (or #A-||êib). But the dividing lines between Jonker and the other Nama groups were not clear cut. During the peace treaty of Hoachanas on 09.01.1858, ||Oaseb acknowledged Jonker Afrikaner as an equal leader in Hereroland. The new political constellation as it consolidated itself in the late 1850s can be described as follows: The chiefs ||Oaseb of the Kai||khaun, Amraal Lambert or #Gai|nub of the Kai|khauan, Piet Koper !Gamab of the Fransman Nama or !Khara-khoen, Hendrik Henricks or !Nanib #gaib Arisemab of the ||Hawoben and Jacobus Boois from Bethany supported Jonker Afrikaner, while Willem Swartbooi or !Huiseb #Haobemab from Rehoboth, the chiefs from Bethany and Berseba and later Kido Witbooi or #A-||êib from Gibeon, assisted by Chief Tseib from Keetmanshoop, represented the anti-Jonker coalition. The Rhenish missionaries and European traders greatly added to these polarisations of different Namibian groups. The intent was to destroy Jonker’s nascent state structures in order to weaken any local political power that might resist the missionaries’ objectives and later colonial annexation. Jonker’s slogan: "Africa to Africans, but Namaland and Hereroland to us" was a challenge which was not acceptable to the missionaries. On 15.06.1863, ||Oaseb, together with the Orlam Afrikaner Chief Christian Afrikaner, Piet Koper !Gamab of the Fransman Nama and the ||Hawoben leader, Karl Hendrik (Ses)(!Nanib #karib #Arisemab), was defeated by Andersson's "Private Army" in the battle of Otjimbingwe. In the conflicts of the 1860s in Namaland, ||Oaseb fought again on Jonker Afrikaner's side and lost against an alliance of Namaland rulers led by Kido Witbooi; his defeat was confirmed in writing by his son #Goraxab |Oasmab (Barnabas) in 1867. However, it is reported that on 03.12.1864 ||Oaseb together with Hendrik Henricks and the Captain of the Groot Doden (||Ô-gain), #Aimab, attacked the Witbooi Nama in Gibeon, destroying this centre. The place and cause of ||Oaseb's death in 1867 could not be traced, possibly Hoachanas. ||Oaseb had at least two wives, Hoes and #Goraxas. For details of his lineage and recorded praise songs, see Budack 1970:51; 1971:66. ||Oaseb was followed by his son #Goraxab ||Oasmab (Barnabas)(1867-1877).
---
Gender: m
Field of activity: POL
Functions: Captain - Kai||khaun - 1840-1867

Married to: <1>Hoes
<2>#Goraxas
Children: #Goraxab ||Oasmab (1867-1877)

RAW DATA: Lau: Andersson I; Lau: Emergence:174-177; BRMG 1854:279; Lau 1985:Vm; Chronology of Namibian History, 2003 (Dierks);

001666
Oberg, Bodo
* 21.01.1877
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Schutztruppe officer.
---
Gender: m
Field of activity: MIL
Profession: Military officer

RAW DATA: Fischer 1935:111, 137, 260;

002141
|O-bib, !Gami-#nun Captain (Bondelswarts)
*
+
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!Gami-#nun (Bondelswart) Captain |O-bib was the successor to Amaxab, before 1860. He was the seventh in the recorded genealogy of the !Gami-#nun captains. His successor was Jan Christian (|Garimûb)(before 1860).
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Gender: m
Field of activity: POL
Profession: Traditional leader
Functions: Captain - Bondelswarts - before 1860

RAW DATA: Chronology of Namibian History, 2003 (Dierks);

001759
Obst, Erich
*
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German geographer who researched in Namibia.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: SCI
Profession: Geographer

Namibia National Archives Database

001760
Odendaal, Frans Hendrik
* .1898
+ .1966
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Frans Hendrik Odendaal was the Chairman of the Commission which drew up the infamous Odendaal plan to carve up Namibia into Bantustan "homelands".
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Gender: m
Field of activity: POL

RAW DATA: DSAB IV:417;

001083
Oelhafen von Schöllenbach, Hans
* .1885 in Germany
+ .1943
First entry to Namibia: 1911
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Hans Oelhafen von Schöllenbach served in the Schutztruppe from August 1911 until April 1919. He was the German Consul-General in Windhoek from 1936 to 1939. He was the author of "Die Besiedelung Deutsch-Südwestafrikas...".
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Gender: m
Field of activity: MIL DIP

Collections/Papers:
1). Politisches Archiv des Auswärtigen Amtes (Reports and notes from his service as consul in Windhoek)
RAW DATA: Mommsen 1,I;

001084
Oelkers, Friedrich
* 08.07.1926 at Bahlum, Germany
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Friedrich Oelkers was born on 08.07.1926 at Bahlum in Germany. He was educated at Thedinghausen and Bochum. He came to Namibia in 1954. He was a businessman in the construction and electrical engineering industry. He was the Managing Director of F. Oelkers (Pty) Ltd., Director, Building Systems (Pty) Ltd., F.O. Investment (Pty) Ltd. and Electric Engineering (Pty) Ltd.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: BUS

Married to: Adele Adelheid Oelkers, née Wendt, married 1957-
RAW DATA: WWSA 1974;

001761
Oertel, Curt
*
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Oertel served as Secretary of the Gesellschaft für Wissenschaftliche Entwicklung in Swakopmund.
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Gender: m

Namibia National Archives Database

001762
Ohlemann, Julius, Dr.
* 13.01.1877 at Vegesack, Germany
+ 15.09.1962 at Hameln, Germany
First entry to Namibia: 1904
Last departure from Namibia: 1908
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Julius Ohlemann was born on 13.01.1877 at Vegesack in Germany. He grew up in Germany and the United States. He studied medicine in Göttingen and Berlin. He joined the Prussian army as medical officer and served in the Schutztruppe in Namibia 1904-1908, i.a. in Erckert's camel corps. After return to Germany, he continued as medical officer until 1918. He was qualified as pediatric specialist and practised in Hameln/Weser. He died on 15.09.1962 at Hameln in Germany.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: MED
Profession: Medical practitioner

Married to: Charlotte Ohlemann, née Kampf, married 1911-

Namibia National Archives Database

001763
Ohlenschläger, Gustav Georg August, Dr.
* 16.08.1867 at Frankfurt/M, Germany
First entry to Namibia: 01.04.1913
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Gustav Georg August Ohlenschläger was born on 16.08.1867 at Frankfurt/M in Germany. He studied law in Germany. He came to Namibia on 01.04.1913. He was a lawyer in Omaruru.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: LAW
Profession: Lawyer

Married to: Magda Ohlenschläger, née Jansen, married 1921
Father: Gustav Ohlenschläger
RAW DATA: WWSA 1929/30;

000240
Ohlssen, Anders
*
---
Anders Ohlssen was a brewer who entered into a partnership with Axel Wilhelm Eriksson in 1871 (until 1886). This trading company, which had its base in Omaruru and a depot at Walvis Bay, contributed considerably to the extermination of large game in what is today central Namibia (forty white hunters were employed by the company in 1878).
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Gender: m
Field of activity: BUS

RAW DATA: Esterhuyse 1968:12, 32, 58-59, 62, 122, 124; Tabler 1973:37-39;

001086
Ohly, Rajmund, Prof. Dr.
* in Poland
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Rajmund Ohly studied Oriental and African languages in Krakow under Roman Stopa. He received a Ph.-D. in African languages at Warsaw University, teaching there for 10 years, then for another 10 years at the University of Dar-Es-Salaam. In 1982 he was working at the African Languages Bureau of the Department of National Education in Windhoek, he was then professor for African languages at the Academy and the University of Namibia until 199?. Since 199? he is teaching at the University of Vienna.
---
Gender: m
Field of activity: LIN
Profession: Linguist

RAW DATA: Namibiana 10;

001087
Ohta, Itaru, Prof.
*
---
Itaru Ohta is a Japanese anthropologist who researched among pastoral peoples in northern Kenya since 1978, and among the Ovahimba in Namibia since 1994.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: LIN

Namibia National Archives Database

000119
Olivier, Anneli
[Bayer, Anneli - Birth name]
* .1928 at Louwater
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Anneli Olivier was born in 1928 at the farm Louwater near Mariental, as daughter of the former Schutztruppe soldier Bayer and his wife, née Diergardt from Rehoboth. In ... she married Neels Olivier. For many years, she  was active in community work at Rehoboth, has founded educational facilities and has considerably contributed to the Rehoboth Museum.
---
Gender: f

Married to: Neels Olivier
Mother: Bayer, née Diergaardt
Father: Bayer

Namibia National Archives Database

000241
Olpp, Johannes (Snr.)
* 05.07.1837 at Merklingen, Germany
+ 13.02.1920 at Herford, Germany
First entry to Namibia: 1864
Last departure from Namibia: 1879
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Johannes Olpp (Snr.) was born on 05.07.1837 at Merklingen near Stuttgart in Germany. He was the son of a baker. He was a tailor who was sent to Namibia by the Rheinische Missionsgesellschaft after being ordained on 10.08.1864. He was stationed at Berseba from 1865 to 1868 as assistant to missionary Johann Georg Krönlein. He went on exhausting journeys through Namaland to explore virtually unknown areas and always tried to get in touch with the Nama communities. Studying assiduously, he gradually mastered the difficult Nama language. He was also interested in tribal customs. For the sake of his studies he stayed at Bethany, Hoachanas, Rehoboth, Otjimbingwe, Otjikango, Okahandja, Otjizeva, Windhoek, Keetmanshoop and Warmbad and even crossed the Oranje River to the north-western areas of the Cape Colony, where he visited Steinkopf, O'okiep, Concordia, Springbokfontein and Port Nolloth. On 09.01.1868 at Gibeon, he succeeded Rhenish missionary Jacob Knauer who had left Gibeon on 27.11.1867. By that time the Namaland conflicts of the 1860s had also reached Gibeon and had destroyed the station. Olpp worked determinedly to restore the mission works and re-establish Gibeon's scattered residents. Even the ageing Captain, Kido Witbooi, asked to be prepared for baptism and was consequently baptised. In 1876 a new church was consecrated. Olpp served the mission station Gibeon until 1879 when he left Namaland for health reasons, and after initially being an agent for the RMS in Herford as from 1883, he was responsible for the Girl's School in Herford from 1889 onwards. While in Gibeon, he was teaching Hendrik Witbooi, and developed a friendship with him which they continued through correspondence after Olpp's return to Germany. Olpp also continued to defend Witbooi in correspondence with other missionaries as well as to the German public. Apart from Hendrik Witbooi, he also taught and baptised other prominent leaders such as Hendrik Witbooi Jnr. and Samuel Izaak. He was married to Luise Wagner on 18.06.1867. They had seven children, one of whom also became a missionary in Namibia, Johannes Olpp (Jnr.). He died on 13.02.1920 at Herford.
---
Gender: m
Field of activity: REL
Profession: Missionary

Married to: Luise Olpp, née Wagner, married 1967-
Children: Johannes Olpp (1870-)

RAW DATA: DSAB II:525-526; P.Reiner 1992:424; Lau 1989:189; Vergissmeinnicht 1893:10+42-43;

001764
Olpp, Johannes (Jnr.)
* 22.10.1870 at Gibeon
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Johannes Olpp (Jnr.) was born on 22.10.1870 at Gibeon. He was a missionary of the Rheinische Missionsgesellschaft and linguist in Namibia from 1895-. He was stationed in Karibib and Otjimbingwe.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: REL
Profession: Missionary

Married to: Maria Olpp, née Johansen, married 1896-
Mother: Luise Olpp, née Wagner
Father: Johannes Olpp

Namibia National Archives Database

001765
Omu-Koatjombe
*
---
Ovaherero noble.
---
Gender: m

RAW DATA: Drechsler 1966:114;

002158
#Ô-||nâib ||Khaumab, Kai||khaun Captain (Red Nation)
*
+ .1740
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The Nama Captain of the Kai||khaun (also called Red Nation), #Ô-||nâib ||Khaumab (1740-1755), was probably the fourth Chief on record of this community. He was followed by |Hanab #Ô||nâimab (1755-1770).
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Gender: m
Field of activity: POL
Profession: Traditional leader
Functions: Captain - Kai||khaun (Red Nation) - 1740-1755

Married to: |Hanas
RAW DATA: Budack 1972:242; Chronology of Namibian History, 2003 (Dierks);

000242
Onesimus
*
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Onesimus was an Omuherero by birth, but brought up in Namaland. He was the interpreter for Francis Galton between 1850 and 1852, and was also employed by Andersson during his exploration of Lake Ngami. He operated independently from Otjimbingwe after 1860, and was later described as one of the "chief men at Otjimbingwe". Onesimus, whom Palgrave described as a "petty chief (from) Otjimbingwe", attended a meeting between William Coates Palgrave and Maharero at Okahandja in 1876.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: POL

Namibia National Archives Database

000877
Orban, Wilhelmus
* .1892 in Netherlands
+ .1949 in South Africa
First entry to Namibia: 1934
Last departure from Namibia: 1948
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Shortly after Wilhelmus Orban's birth in 1892, his parents emigrated from the Netherlands to South Africa. He received his teacher's training in the Netherlands, but returned to South Africa in 1911 where he was teaching and did distance courses culminating in a MA in philosophy and ethics. He was appointed the Director of Education in the SWA Administration from 1934 until 1948, when he was transferred back to South Africa. He was a Member of the SWA Scientific Society, which he served for a short period in 1937 as President. He died in 1949 in South Africa.
---
Gender: m
Field of activity: EDU
Profession: Teacher
Functions: Director of Education - SWA Administration - 1934-1948
- SWA Scientific Society

RAW DATA: Mitt.NWG 43,4-6;

001088
Orman, Myer Reuben
* at Windhoek
---
Solicitor and Notary. Educated at Rondebosch BHS.
---
Gender: m
Field of activity: LAW
Profession: Lawyer

Father: Joseph Orman
RAW DATA: WWSA 1959;

001766
Ortmann, Wilhelm
*
---
Wilhelm Ortmann was a !Gami-#nun (Bondelswart) who fled 1908 to the Cape Colony, and was extradited to German South West Africa.
---
Gender: m

RAW DATA: Drechsler 1966:269;

000243
Oswell, William Cotton
* 27.04.1818 at Worthing, Essex, England
+ 01.05.1893
---
William Cotton Oswell was born on 27.04.1818 at Worthing, Essex in England. He was a sportsman and explorer. He came to the Cape Colony in South Africa in 1844 to recover from a severe fever he had acquired in Madras  (now Chennai in (India). Together with David Livingstone and Mungo Murray, he reached Lake Ngami in August 1849. He was married to Agnes Rivas in April 1860. He died on 01.05.1893.
---
Gender: m

Married to: Agnes Oswell, née Rivas, married 1860

Namibia National Archives Database

000588
Otto, Friedrich
[Schönherr, Friedrich Hermann - real name]
* 11.1854 at Zwickau, Germany
+ 29.10.1896 at Windhoek
---
Friedrich Hermann Otto (alias Schönherr) was born in 11.1854 at Zwickau in Germany. He was a settler and trader. Apparently his real name was Friedrich Hermann Schönherr. It seems that the assumption of a false name served to prevent the Cape police from tracing him and charging him with fraud or theft. In June 1892, Hendrik Witbooi officially sued Otto for not returning his property. The case was postponed: even after the seventh Witbooi letter of 01.02.1893 the colonial administration felt that a date for the trial need not be set "in a hurry" due to "the present political situation". However, on 28.04.1893, two weeks after Von François' attack on Hoornkrans, the date for the trial was hurriedly set for 15.05.1893. On 11.05., von François left Windhoek for another attack on Hoornkrans. Hendrik Witbooi, duly informed of the trial date, could therefore not appear. This automatically made him the guilty party, liable to carry the costs of the trial. Interestingly, Otto offered to pay. He died on 29.10.1896 at Windhoek.
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Gender: m
Field of activity: BUS

RAW DATA: GWI 1 a.8/1892; NLA 97 O.4; Conradt s.d.:171-72; v.Bülow 1896:42;

001090
Otto-Reiner, Antje
[Otto, Antje, birth name]
* in Namibia
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Antje Otto-Reiner was an ethnologist and Curator of Ethnology at the State Museum Windhoek from 1974 until 1992. She is the author of numerous publications and a long-term board member of the SWA Scientific Society.
---
Gender: f
Field of activity: SCI
Profession: Ethnologist

Married to: Peter Reiner

Namibia National Archives Database