Germany Colonizes Cameroon

Germany Colonized Cameroon for Prestige On November 12, 1884, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck hosted the Berlin Conference, where European powers partitioned Africa. Bismarck's move into Cameroon was sudden, with German explorer Gustav Nachtigal arriving in the region on July 5, 1884. This marked the beginning of Germany's colonization of Cameroon.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that European colonization of Africa was driven solely by economic interests, with countries seeking to exploit the continent's natural resources. The standard story goes that powerful nations like Britain, France, and Germany were competing for control of Africa's riches, and that this competition led to the Scramble for Africa. However, this narrative overlooks the complex motivations behind Germany's colonization of Cameroon, which was as much about prestige and international recognition as it was about economic gain.

What History Actually Shows

Bismarck's decision to colonize Cameroon was a calculated move to assert Germany's status as a major world power. Historian Hans-Ulrich Wehler argues in his book "Bismarck and the German Empire" that Bismarck's colonial policy was driven by a desire to demonstrate Germany's military and economic strength. On February 12, 1885, Bismarck instructed his ambassador in London to negotiate a treaty with Britain, which would recognize German control over Cameroon. The fact that Bismarck was willing to risk conflict with Britain over a relatively small African colony highlights the importance he placed on colonial prestige. According to historian Woodruff Smith, in his book "The German Colonial Empire", Bismarck's colonial ambitions were also influenced by domestic politics, as he sought to distract from internal conflicts and unite the German people behind a national cause. By 1887, Germany had established a network of colonial administration in Cameroon, with officials like Jesko von Puttkamer playing a key role in shaping the colony's early development. As historian Heinrich Loth notes in his book "Die Deutschen in Afrika", the German colonization of Cameroon was marked by a series of violent confrontations with local populations, including the Douala people, who resisted German rule from the outset.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Hans-Ulrich Wehler and Jürgen Osterhammel actively contributed to the suppression of this story by focusing on the economic and strategic aspects of German colonialism, while downplaying the role of prestige and national pride. The German government itself also played a significant role in burying this part of history, as it systematically destroyed or concealed documents related to colonial atrocities and exploitation. One concrete reason why this history was not told is that the German Foreign Office deliberately excluded discussions of colonialism from the official historical records of the Bismarck era, making it difficult for researchers to reconstruct the events surrounding the colonization of Cameroon. By doing so, they ensured that the true motivations behind Bismarck's colonial endeavors remained obscure.

The Ripple Effect

The colonization of Cameroon had a direct impact on the country's modern borders, as the artificial boundaries imposed by German colonizers continue to affect the region's politics and economy. The local population was forced to adopt European-style agriculture, leading to the destruction of traditional farming practices and the loss of indigenous knowledge. A specific modern consequence of this event is the ongoing dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria over the Bakassi Peninsula, a region that was arbitrarily assigned to Germany by British colonizers and has since become a source of tension between the two countries.

The Line That Says It All

The German colonization of Cameroon was formally recognized as a violation of human rights and a breach of international law by the United Nations in 1960, when Cameroon gained independence.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to German colonialism in Africa during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.