Memorial to German colonial genocide in Namibia under threat: A planned port expansion around Shark Island near Lüderitz/!Nami≠nûs endangers one of the central sites commemorating the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama peoples, perpetrated by the German colonial power between 1904 and 1908. To protest this impending destruction, demonstrations will take place on April 11 in Namibia and Germany. The demonstration in Berlin is organized by the alliance “Völkermord verjährt nicht” (No Amnesty on Genocide!), which includes the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), and aims to draw attention to the involvement of the German company Enertrag.

The following actions are planned in Berlin and Göttingen:

Protest march in Berlin

When? April 11, 2026 | starting at 12 p.m.

Where?

• Start: Federal Foreign Office (Werderscher Markt 1, 10117 Berlin)
• Stop: Humboldt Forum
• End: Enertrag company building (Rosenthaler Str. 30)

Demonstration in Göttingen

In Göttingen, Stadtlabor Göttingen, EPIZ, and Göttingen Postkolonial are organizing a solidarity demonstration.

When? April 11, 2026 | starting at 12 p.m.

Where? South West Africa Monument in Göttingen

• Introduction to the problematic monument
• Background information on the protest in Namibia

Background

Between 1904 and 1908, the German Empire committed genocide against the Ovaherero and Nama, as well as the Damara and San, in what is now Namibia. To this day, the German government refuses to legally recognize this genocide. Instead, Germany continues to negotiate an agreement (Joint Declaration) with Namibia—without involving the legitimate representatives of the affected communities. At the same time, Germany continues to pursue economic interests in Namibia today, without regard for the local population. The German company Enertrag is a shareholder in the “Hyphen” mega-project for the production of “green” hydrogen. The project is planned on land that was stolen from the Nama during the genocide. Furthermore, as part of a comprehensive infrastructure expansion in the region, the port of Lüderitz/!Nami≠nûs is to be expanded to facilitate exports to the Global North. Shark Island—once a concentration camp where around 4,000 Ovaherero and Nama died—is under acute threat. For the descendants of the survivors, Shark Island is a place of remembrance, mourning, and resistance. We demand that this place not be sacrificed for economic interests!

This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at presse@gfbv.de.