Between 1904 and 1908 troops of the German Empire under the leadership of General Lothar von Trotha waged a genocide against the Ovaherero and Nama peoples in the then colony of German South West Africa. Most of the victims died of starvation and dehydration after being purposefully trapped in the desert or due to rampant diseases and abuse after their imprisonment in concentration camps. In 2015 Germany officially called the events as a genocide for the first time, which paved the way for negotiations with Namibian authorities. For more information on the negotiations, Germany’s official apology and the discussion over financial compensation, we invite you to read the articles listed below.

The It’s Yours! room curated by Esther Utjiua Muinjangue and Ida Hoffmann addresses the genocide and the five years of negotiations that led to the current agreement.