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| Reiterdenkmal |
WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA: “You can’t change history,” my German
born Namibia guide grunted, as he read from his Namibian newspaper, referring
to the controversy over the inauguration of the Genocide Memorial statue, built
by the North Koreans, and unveiled in Windhoek on Independence Day last week. According
to the paper, the memorial commemorates the long history of anti-colonial
resistance and national liberation struggle. The issue for my guide, however,
and the other 20,000 Germans living in Namibia, is that the memorial replaces
the Reiterdenkmal, a memorial to the
German soldiers and civilians who died fighting the OvaHereo and Nama between
1904 and 1907, but viewed by the indigenous peoples as a period of genocide.
The Reiterdenkmal had been erected in
1912 by the then German governor of South-West Africa. In 1915 the Germans
relinquished control of the country to the British, having held it as a colony
for just thirty years. “They say we
committed genocide then,” my guide bristles as if referring to something
that just happened a day or so ago. “But
it was war, just like any war. Was it genocide for you to bomb Hiroshima and
Nagasaki?” I suggested that what we did to our Native Americans might be a
more appropriate analogy. “I’ve never
heard an American say that before,” he muttered. I thought I’d push
further. “Why?” I asked, “After all these years is it so important to
you Germans?” “Because it’s history
and history is about facts, not about politics.” He retorted. “Okay,
then, how many Germans actually died
in those battles?” “Almost 2,000.
Their names are inscribed on a huge plaque in the church across the street from
where they removed the Reiterdenkmal.” “And how many OvaHereo and Nama were killed?”
“I don’t know.” “Can you guess?” “No. I have no idea?” “Could it have been over
one hundred thousand?” “Maybe. No one knows.” “I think you’re wrong, you see, history is all about politics and your
Reiterdenkmal is a losing proposition just as the confederate flag flying over South
Carolina and Mississippi capitols is a losing proposition for those states in
our country. Yours even more so as Germans represent less than one percent of
the population here.” Thankfully, as a courtesy to me, he decided to drop
the subject, instead pointing over to the oryx, wildebeest, and springbok leisurely
grazing nearby. “Isn’t this a great
country?” he mused. “Yes,” I
said, “It’s a beautiful country with vast
stretches of empty space and wild life galore and yes it’s clear that the small German community here has had and continues
to have an enormous impact on the country’s well being.” He turned to me
smiling, “Now that’s what I want you to
remember about this country.”
