1888
22.02.
Paul Visser shoots the Witbooi Chief, Moses David Witbooi (together with the Hoofraad member Adam Klaasen), who is succeeded by his son Hendrik Witbooi. Hendrik Witbooi is directly confronted by Visser’s allies, Manasse !Noreseb, Hendrik Windstaan of the Groot Doden, Jan Jonker Afrikaner and sections of the ||Hawoben. Manasse !Noreseb makes peace with the rival chief of the Kai||khaun, !Hoëb ||Oasmab (also named Fritz Lazarus ||Oaseb).

Namibia_Hardap_Gibeon_Cemetry_5.jpg (172935 bytes)
Graves of the Witbooi Dynasty at the Gibeon Cemetery: Graves of Moses David Witbooi and Adam Klaasen
Copyright of Photo: Dr. Klaus Dierks

25.03. The first official mining commission is established by Göring in Otjimbingwe after the first mining ordinance is promulgated. The DKGSWA receives mining rights for almost the entire territory. Göring reports on gold deposit discoveries near Walvis Bay. Later it is found that these deposits gave been fraudulently "salted" (Göring's gold swindle).
02.05. The first Schutztruppe soldiers arrive in the colony on the British vessel " Venus", under the command of Ulrich von Quitzow. Included in the group are the soldiers Wilhlem Grundmann, Karl Höpfner, M Brehmen and Böhsel, as well as the merchant Arnold Schad. They are stationed at Otjimbingwe.
June Otjimbingwe is attacked by Hendrik Witbooi (again in July and September 1888).
01.07. German South West Africa becomes a member of the Universal Postal Union.
16.07. The first post office is established in Otjimbingwe, with Hugo von Goldammer its first Postmaster. The first postmark is "Otyimbingue". German postal stamps without any special marks (forerunners) are used. It fells under the Reichspostamt (German Post Office) but the current service fells under the Oberpostdirektion Hamburg.
The DKGSWA transports the mail between Otjimbingwe and Walvis Bay, from where it is shipped to Cape Town. This later connection is at first by the sailing ship Louis Alfred which calls every two months.
Due to the unrest between the Ovaherero and the Nama, the post office has to shift from Otjimbingwe to Walvis Bay (from November 1888 to 07.07.1889 and again from September 1889 to 13.03.1890).
August Hendrik Witbooi conducts several campaigns against Manasse !Noreseb from Hoachanas (until April 1889).
04.08. A Roads Ordinance is issued to protect the grazing along the Northern Bay Road between Otjikango and the Swakop River mouth.
12.08. Hendrik Witbooi kills Paul Visser, who had killed Hendrik’s father, Moses Witbooi.
01.10. The sale of farms between "white" farmers and indigenes needs government approval.
October Witbooi meets Göring at Rehoboth for the first time. Witbooi declines to conclude any protection treaty with the Germans.
30.10. Göring meets Maharero at Okahandja in the presence of the British trader Robert Lewis. Dissatisfied with the Germans’ inability to protect the Ovaherero against Witbooi, Maharero nullifies the Protection Treaty of 1885 and makes Lewis his official agent. Göring is forced to seek refuge in British Walvis Bay. Responsibility for this debacle rests with the German Government, which seems to believe that the territory can be efficiently administered by three officials and 20 soldiers.
November Hendrik Witbooi joins forces with the Chief of the Bondelswarts (!Gami-#nun), Wilhelm Christian, against sections of the ||Hawoben. Other Namaland chiefs, such as Chief Tseib of the Kharo-!oan in Keetmanshoop, Jakobus Isaak of Berseba (successor of Jakobus Isaak is Diederik Goliath (1894-ca. 1900)) and Joseph Frederiks II of Bethany, are also involved. The ensuing maze of negotiations, commando mobilisations and threats all focus on the position and overall leadership of Hendrik Witbooi (until April 1889).
Rhenish missionary Friedrich Judt reports that Hendrik Witbooi mainly lives in the area of Hoachanas during this time. He manages to unravel the complex knots of Namaland politics during this time, while simultaneously bearing in mind the hostile Ovaherero and the German colonial advances.
December WL Kingon makes an offer to buy German South West Africa for two million Mark.
Hendrik Witbooi buys weapons from the British trader Robert Duncan in exchange for 4.000 captured head of cattle.
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