Herero people defeat German Forces

Updated: 31 Mar 2020

German forces under Major Von Glasenapp are defeated by Herero people near Okaharui, German West Africa (now Namibia). Herero men in the Okaharui ambushed German forces killing 32 and wounding 17 German troops. Von Glasenapp's forces were also suffering from typhus, rendering them ineffective. After a month his forces were withdrawn from active duty. This battle marked Herero resistance against expanding German colonial rule and land grab. The Herero people are pastoral people who store cattle as wealth. Since colonial rule their numbers have shrunk as a result of diseases and wars with other Namibian societies and German troops. Loss of grazing land destroyed most of their cattle stock and forced others to migrate to Botswana.

How we know this

01Foot print travel guides, The 1904-1907 German-Namibian War,[online],Available at www.footprinttravelguides.com, [Accessed: 1 April 2014]

Last updated · 31 Mar 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Herero people defeat German Forces. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011272

South African History Online (2011) 'Herero people defeat German Forces', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011272 (Accessed: 7 October 2026).

South African History Online, Herero people defeat German Forces [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011272, (accessed 7 October 2026).

"Herero people defeat German Forces." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011272. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Herero people defeat German Forces." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011272.