The League of Nations, an international body which preceded the United Nations, agreed to hand over three former German colonies as mandates. Tanganyika, which formed the greater part of the German colony Deutsche Ostafrika, was transferred to Britain and in 1961 became independent as Tanzania. The greater part of the colony of Togo and lesser part of it, Togoland, were handed over to France and Britain respectively. The Togo colony became independent in 1960 while Togoland became part of Ghana in 1957. The German colony of Kamerun was handed over to the French as Cameroun (which eventually became Cameroon in 1960) and to the British as British Cameroon North (became Nigeria in 1961) and British Cameroon South (eventually joined with Cameroon in 1961).
20 July 1922
The League of Nations hands over German colonies
- Updated
- 20 Jul 2026
League of Nations Delegates attending a League of Nations meeting, c. 1930. Source Brittanica
How we know this
- 01Dr. Heinrich Schnee, How the German Colonies Were Seized, Available at www.wintersonnenwende.com [Accessed : 19 July 2013]
- 02History of Cameroon, Available at : www.historyworld.net [Accessed : 19 July 2013]
Last updated · 20 Jul 2026
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). The League of Nations hands over German colonies. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011445
South African History Online (2011) 'The League of Nations hands over German colonies', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011445 (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
South African History Online, The League of Nations hands over German colonies [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011445, (accessed 8 October 2026).
"The League of Nations hands over German colonies." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011445. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "The League of Nations hands over German colonies." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0011445.
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