List of former German colonies
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This is a list of former German colonies and protectorates (German: Schutzgebiete) outside of the European borders of Prussia and the German Empire.
Contents
Brandenburg-Prussian colonies[edit]
Main articles: Brandenburg-Prussia and German colonization of the Americas
These were colonies unsuccessfully settled by Brandenburg-Prussia (part of the Holy Roman Empire realm), since 1701 Kingdom of Prussia, before the foundation of the German Empire in 1871.
Africa[edit]
- Groß Friedrichsburg (in Ghana), 1683–1717
- Arguin (in Mauritania), 1685–1721
- Whydah (in present Bénin), circa 1700 (this Brandenburg 'colony' was just a minor point of support, a few dwellings at a site co-inhabited by British and Dutch)
North America[edit]
These territories were held briefly under lease or occupation during the early European colonizations of the New World.
- Saint Thomas (in the Virgin Islands). - Leased by Brandenburg from the Danish West India Company, 1685–1720.
- Vieques (Crab Island)[citation needed] (Krabbeninsel in German) in the Caribbean, now part of Puerto Rico. Brandenburg annexation in the Danish West Indies, 1689–1693
- Tertholen (Caribbean), 1696. Occupation.
German imperial colonies[edit]
These are colonies settled by and controlled by the German Empire from 1884 to 1919. Those territories constituted the German Colonial Empire.
Africa[edit]
The following were German African protectorates.
- German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika):
- Tanganyika. In 1922 became a League of Nations mandate under the United Kingdom. In 1961 became independent and in 1964 joined with former British protectorate of the sultanate of Zanzibar to form present-day Tanzania
- Ruanda-Urundi (1885–1917) - became a League of Nations mandate under Belgium, attached to its Congo colony - present-day Rwanda and Burundi
- Wituland (1885–1890) - since 1890 in Kenya
- Kionga Triangle - since 1920 (earlier occupied) in Portuguese Mozambique
- German South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika) - present-day Namibia (except then-British Walvis Bay) and part of Botswana (Südrand des Caprivi-Zipfels)
- German West Africa (Deutsch-Westafrika) - existed as one unit only for two or three years, then split into two colonies due to distances:
- Kamerun (1884–1914) - after World War I, separated into a British part, Cameroons, and a French Cameroun, which became present Cameroon. The British part was later split in half, with one part joining Nigeria and the other Cameroon. (Kamerun, Nigeria-Ostteil, Tschad-Südwestteil, Zentralafrikanische Republik-Westteil, Republik Kongo-Nordostteil, Gabun-Nordteil)
- Togoland (1884–1914) - after World War I it separated into two parts: a British part (Ghana-Westteil), which joined Ghana, and a French one, which became Togo
Asia[edit]
These are German colonies in the area of the Qing Dynasty.
- Kiautschou Bay concession (Jiaozhou Bay concession, (Deutsch Kiautschou-Bucht) (1898-1914)
- Chefoo (190?-1918)
- Tianjin (shared) (1899-1917)
Oceania[edit]
These were German colonies in the South Sea.
German New Guinea (Deutsch-Neuguinea) (1884–1914) ...
- Kaiser-Wilhelmsland
- Bismarck Archipelago (Bismarck-Archipel)
- German Solomon Islands or Northern Solomon Islands (Salomonen or Nördliche Salomon-Inseln) (1885–1899)
- Bougainville Island (Bougainville-Insel) (1888–1919)
- ... and German Micronesia (later incorporated into the German New Guinea)
- Nauru (1888–1919)
- Marshall Islands (Marschall-Inseln) (1885–1919)
- Mariana Islands (Marianen) (1899–1919) - present-day Northern Mariana Islands
- Caroline Islands (Karolinen) (1899–1919) - present-day Federated States of Micronesia and Palau
- German Samoa (Deutsch-Samoa; Polynesian) (1899–1914) - present-day Samoa
See also[edit]
- German colonization of the Americas
- German colonial empire
- Coats of arms of German colonies
- Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty
- Postage stamps and postal history of the German colonies
- New Swabia
- Ernst Thälmann Island
Sources and external links[edit]
- German colonies (German)
- WorldStatesmen