Imperial Germany: colonialism and nationalism

• Colonialism in the 1880s• Imperialism, nationalsm and Weltpolitik• German South-West Africa and the war

against the Herero and Nama

• Social imperialism: colonialism motivated by domestic factors

• Economic explanation: protectionist policy• Foreign policy: secure Germany‘s position• Attack against „Freisinn“ (liberal party)

German colonies in 1913

• Governmental imperialism (Weltpolitik)• Informal economic imperialism• Radical national imperialism

Middle classes (bourgeoisie)

Working class

GovernmentBig business

Old élites (Junker, nobility)

• „At root, the nationalist phenomenon was a by-product of the change from a traditionalist politics to a modern mass politics – a change whose effects the established parties had not yet properly understood.“

Maharero

Henrik Witbooi

Samuel Maharero

Surviving Hereo coming back from the Omaheke desert

Herero in chains after the war