Primary Sources
Resources / Primary Sources
Primary Sources on Namibia’s Past
Here you will find scans of and/or links to official documents relating to Namibia’s past or to the dialogue about Namibia’s past. Primary sources are first-hand statements in written, printed or electronic form that provide information or evidence or serve as official records.
This list is a work in progress. You are welcome to suggest additions. Please include the author(s) and title of the document and where it can be found – preferably by providing a link. We will need some time to review your proposal. If it does not meet our criteria or guidelines, it will not be published.
The sources listed have been researched with the greatest possible care. External links were checked at the time of publication. Please inform us if an external link no longer leads to the specified source.
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German Government (28-11-2025): Germany supports Alte Feste renovation in Windhoek with N$ 4.2 million in 2025/2026
Germany supports Alte Feste renovation in Windhoek with N$ 4.2 million in 2025/2026 Original text of the German Embassy's media release no. 19/2025 of 28 November 2025: "The German Embassy Windhoek is pleased to announce that Germany has...
German Government (14-08-2025): Aufarbeitung der deutschen Kolonialvergangenheit – Reappraisal of Germany’s colonial past
Aufarbeitung der deutschen Kolonialvergangenheit - Reappraisal of Germany's colonial past Response of the Federal Government of Germany dated 14 August 2025 to the minor interpellation by the parliamentary group of the political party...
German Government (11-02-2025): Germany supports renovation of the Alte Feste building in Windhoek
Germany supports renovation of the Alte Feste building in Windhoek Media release by the German Embassy in Namibia Original text of the German Embassy's media release no. 01/2025 of 11 February 2025: "The German Embassy Windhoek is pleased...
German Government (02-10-2024): In memory of the victims of the extermination order
German Government: In memory of the victims of the extermination order On 2 October 2024, the German ambassador to Namibia, Thorsten Hutter, laid a wreath at the genocide memorial in Windhoek. It is located at the Alte Feste, which was...
German Government (25-09-2024): Response to question on commemoration of the extermination order
German Government: Response to question on commemoration of the extermination order and the former concentration camp on Shark Island The German Bundestag (Federal Parliament) holds a 'Fragestunde' (Question Time) every sitting week. Each...
German Government (05-06-2024): Foreign Minister Baerbock – Launch of book ‘Das Auswärtige Amt und die Kolonien’
Rede der Bundesministerin des Auswärtigen, Annalena Baerbock, zur Vorstellung des Buches 'Das Auswärtige Amt und die Kolonien' am 5. Juni 2024 in Berlin Text of the official speech by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on the occasion of...
German Government (03-04-2024): Statement by German Embassy on Ambassador’s visit to Shark Island memorial stone
Statement by the German Embassy on the Ambassador's visit to the Shark Island memorial stone Original text of the German Embassy's media release no. 09/2024 from 3 April 2024: "In the last few days there has been misinformation spread on...
German Government (24-02-2024): Federal President Steinmeier – “I bow my head to Hage Geingob”
German Federal President Steinmeier – "I bow my head to Hage Geingob" Text of the address German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivered at the funeral service for the President of the Republic of Namibia, Hage Geingob, on 24...
German Government (01-06-2023): Response to Joint Communication of Special Rapporteurs of UN OHCHR
Response of Germany to the Joint Communication of Special Rapporteurs of the UN OHCHR on the Joint Declaration Response of Germany of 1 June 2023 to the Joint Communication of Special Rapporteurs of the Office of the United Nations High...
German Government and Namibian Government (15-05-2021): Joint Declaration
"JOINT DECLARATION BY THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY AND THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA "UNITED IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR COLONIAL PAST, UNITED IN OUR WILL TO RECONCILE, UNITED IN OUR VISION OF THE FUTURE". Introduction The Government of the...
German Parliament (22-05-2025): Tuli Mekondjo (Artikel 1 GG) – “Kwariri Nyoko Kevako: Echoes of the Matriarchs”
Tuli Mekondjo (Artikel 1 GG) - "Kwariri Nyoko Kevako: Echoes of the Matriarchs" Mekondjo's work reflects on article 1 of the Grundgesetz (German Constitution) of 23 May 1949 (after World War II, which ended the Nazi regime including the...
Leutwein Theodor (1906): Elf Jahre Gouverneur in Deutsch-Südwestafrika
Leutwein Theodor (1906): Elf Jahre Gouverneur in Deutsch-Südwestafrika, Berlin 1906, re-published as ebook by The Project Gutenberg in 2019 The former governor of German South West Africa, Theodor Leutwein, describes the colonial period...
Namibian Government (02-08-2025): President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s statement on Pan African Women’s Day
Statement by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on the occasion of the 63rd anniversary celebration of the Pan African Women's Day, at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek on 2 August 2025 [Statement in the wording of the post on the...
Namibian Government (28-05-2025): President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s statement on Genocide Remembrance Day
Statement by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on the occasion of the Genocide Remembrance Day, Parliament Gardens, Windhoek, 28 May 2025 [Script as posted on the Facebook page of the Namibian Presidency; ed.] "Fellow Namibians. Today, on...
Namibian Government (10-12-2024): President Mbumba’s statement on the inauguration of the Hosea Kutako Museum & Shrine
Keynote Statement by President Nangolo Mbumba on the Inauguration of the Hosea Kutako Museum & Shrine on 10 December 2024 at Toasis, Aminuis "The Presidency Keynote Statement by His Excellency, Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, President of the...
Namibian Government (25-07-2024): President Mbumba’s statement, calling on genocide-affected communities to speak with one voice
"Statement of President Nangolo Mbumba on 25 July 2024, calling on genocide-affected communities to speak with one voice Video uploaded by the Namibian Press Agency (NAMPA) on its YouTube channel on 29 July 2024 "WINDHOEK, 25 JUL (NAMPA)...
Namibian Government (26-01-2024): MIRCO Nandi-Ndaitwah Statement on ICJ ruling in genocide case of South Africa against Israel
Namibian DPM and MIRCO Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's Statement on ICJ's ruling in the genocide case of South Africa against Israel concerning Palestine On 26 January 2024 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its ruling in the case...
Namibian Government (13-01-2024): Presidency Rejecting Germany’s Support of Israel
"Namibia rejects Germany’s Support of the Genocidal Intent of the Racist Israeli State against Innocent Civilians in Gaza On Namibian soil, #Germany committed the first genocide of the 20th century in 1904-1908, in which tens of thousands...
Namibian Government (30-05-2023): Response to Joint Communication of Special Rapporteurs of UN OHCHR
Response of Namibia to the Joint Communication of Special Rapporteurs of the UN OHCHR on the Joint Declaration Response of Namibia of 30 May 2023 to the Joint Communication of Special Rapporteurs of the Office of the United Nations High...
Namibian Government (06-03-2020): National Heritage Council on declaration of Shark Island as Heritage place
National Heritage Council on the official declaration of Shark Island as a National Heritage site "Shark Island received its status as National Heritage site on 15 February 2019 in line with the provisions of the Act. Instead of only...
Namibian Judiciary (07-10-2024): High Court – Ruling on request for documents on negotiations on Joint Declaration
High Court ruling on the request for documents concerning the negotiations on the Joint Declaration Summary by the High Court: "This is an interlocutory application by the applicants ancillary to their pending review application (against...
Namibian Parliament (30-11-2021): National Assembly – Debate on the Joint Declaration with Germany
Debate on the Joint Declaration with Germany in the National Assembly of Namibia on 30 November 2021. Recording of the live broadcast of the debate on the Facebook page of the Parliament of the Republic of Namibia (last checked in June...
Namibian Parliament (26-10-2006): National Assembly – Motion on the OvaHerero Genocide
Motion on the OvaHerero Genocide Tabled in the National Assembly of Namibia by Kuaima Riruako, Member of Parliament and Chief of the OvaHerero, on 26 September 2006 and adopted by the National Assembly on 26 October 2006 (source:...
Lothar von Trotha in Deutsch-Südwestafrika, 1904–1905. Tagebuch, Fotoalbum. Häussler, Matthias; Eckl, Andreas (Hrsg.) (2024)
Lothar von Trotha in Deutsch-Südwestafrika, 1904–1905. Band I: Das Tagebuch. Band II: Das Fotoalbum. Matthias Häussler and Andreas Eckl (Hrsg.), Berlin, Boston 2024 Diary and photo album of Lieutenant General Lotha von Trotha, who was...
United Nations (26-01-2024): ICJ – Order in genocide case brought by South Africa against Israel regarding occupied Palestine
Order of the UN ICJ in the case brought by South Africa against Israel for alleged genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories The United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) pronounced its order in the case no 192 brought by...