Hendrik Witbooi picked up his rifle at age 74 to fight Germany's genocide of his people — and died in battle at 75. His face appears on the Namibian dollar. Germany did not formally apologize for the genocide until 2021.
The Story of Hendrik Witbooi
Hendrik Witbooi was born around 1830 and became a leader of the Witbooi clan of the Nama people in what is now Namibia, then German South West Africa. A devout Christian and skilled military leader, he initially resisted German colonialism but was forced to sign a peace treaty in 1894 after a prolonged conflict.
From 1894 to 1904, Witbooi cooperated with the German colonial government — though he maintained his people's dignity and identity. But when Germany launched a genocidal campaign against the Herero people in 1904 — massacring tens of thousands and driving survivors into the desert to die — Witbooi recognized the existential threat to all Namibian peoples.
At age 74, he renounced the peace treaty and raised the banner of resistance once more. He led a guerrilla campaign against German colonial forces that tied down thousands of German troops for a year. His fighters struck German supply convoys, attacked outposts, and disappeared into the desert terrain they knew intimately.
On October 29, 1905, Hendrik Witbooi was shot and killed in battle at age 75. His diary — a remarkable document of African resistance and Christian faith — survived and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage document. His face appears on the Namibian dollar. Germany formally apologized for the genocide — the first formally recognized genocide of the 20th century — in 2021, 116 years after Witbooi's death.
Color Hendrik's Portrait
The Alphabet Book of Generals — Who Resisted White Supremacy and Won features a full-page coloring portrait of Hendrik with a color guide and fun fact. Perfect for children ages 4–12 and Black history education.
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