The German Reichspost (Imperial Postal Service) began operation in Kamerun in 1887. In the first years, German
stamps were used. In 1897, German stamps overprinted "Kamerun" were used, from 1900 onward stamps issued for Kamerun.
In 1912 there were 39 post offices in the colony.
The currency was the German Reichsmark (1 Mark = 100 Pfennig).
Stamps of Moyen Congo
overprinted Cameroon, French Occupation
Kamerun under German Rule, 1884-1918
A.) Establishment and Expansion of the Colony
German explorer GUSTAV NACHTIGAL in 1884 obtained a treaty of chiefs from the coastal region asking for German protection, and a
German protectorate was proclaimed the same year, which gained international recognition at the BERLIN CONFERENCE of 1884/1885.
Agreements fixing Cameroon's borders were signed with France in 1894, with Britain in 1906. Until 1891 the colony officially was
referred to as DEUTSCH-WESTAFRIKA and consisted of two parts, Kamerun and
TOGOLAND; the Governor
resided in Buea (Kamerun); in 1891, Togoland was made a separate colony. From 1896 to 1901 the colony was referred to as
DEUTSCH-NORDWESTAFRIKA (German Northwest Africa).
In the early years the colony lacked funding and consequently developed slowly. The geography was a major obstacle - few, short
stretches of navigable rivers; mountain ranges with deep valleys - the terrain made railway construction extremely difficult and thus
made the development of many hinterland resources unprofitable. In addition, the native coastal population resisted attempts by the
whites to penetrate into the interior, as they regarded the trade with the interior their monopoly.
B.) Administration
The Germans established their seat of administration at BUEA, on the slopes of Mount Kamerun, in plantation country. DUALA, located
less excentrally, often provided the place for council meetings. At the head of the colony was the GOVERNOR, the first of whom was
VON SODEN who arrived in 1885. In 1903 a Gouvernementsrat (ADVISORY COUNCIL) was established, consisting of planters,
traders and missionaries - all whites.
In the various districts, the government was represented by the DISTRICT OFFICIALs, on a lower level by STATION HEADs. These officials
were responsible for administration and jurisdiction and even could impose the death penalty, which required the governor's
countersignature.
Max Buchner Julius von Soden Eugen von Zimmerer
Jesko von Puttkamer Theodor Seitz Otto Gleim Karl Ebermaier
The colonial administration respected, with certain limitations, traditional law as applied by the chieftains. The station heads or district
officials functioned as a higher instance, if applied to, For whites, the basic court was the Bezirksgericht (District Court); the highest court
in the country the Obergericht in Duala. For natives, the higher instance was the governor or a judge appointed by him.
A POLIZEITRUPPE (police force) was established in 1891, recruited mainly abroad, most notably from Dahomeyans. A SCHUTZTRUPPE
(protective troops) was created in 1895. Ecclesiastically, Kamerun was seceded from the Apostolic Vicariate of Gabon in 1890 and
established as a separate Apostolic Prefecture, which in 1904 was elevated to an Apostolic Vicariat. Its area of responsibility, however,
was limited to Kamerun's south; the north formed part of the Apostolic Vicariate of Sudan/Central Africa, from which it was separated and
declared the Apostolic Prefecture of Adamaua in 1914.
C.) The Colonial Economy
Kamerun's Imports and Exports, 1891-1912
after H. Rudin, Germans in the Cameroons, New Haven 1938, p.283
sums given in German Reichsmark
The most important export product was NATURAL RUBBER, growing wild in the forest, collected mostly by natives who sold it to German traders;
the government profitted by raising duties on exported rubber, the colony's major revenue. The Germans established a plantation economy
(Cocoa, Bananas, Palm Oil, Tobacco). Demand for African labour was great; the natives unwilling to take upon themselves regular hard work.
Labor shortage was a constant complaint of plantation owners and businessmen.
Almost every year the German government had to subsidize the colony in order to balance it's budget. Construction material for the railways, for
administration buildings etc. had to be imported. The Germans did establish an infrastructure - they developed Duala into a city, built railroads,
schools and hospitals. The colony's population in 1912 was 2,600,000.
D.) Relations with the Natives
The native peoples of the Cameroons were sceptical of the German colonial masters. The coastal population long had desired a protectorate,
understanding it would guarantee peace amongst themselves and protect them against other foreign powers' pressure as well as against slave
raids. On the other hand they were determined to preserve their trading monopoly with the interior; they were very sceptical of Germans attempting
to penetrate into what they regarded their hinterland. Many were also unwilling to work on plantations, on the railway construction lines or in
mines for longer periods of time.
In the early years, the British enjoyed a high reputation and some British traders succeeded in causing coastal villages to resist German rule.
Later, German attempts to penetrate into the interior were repeatedly attacked; the station at YAUNDE repeatedly was cut off from communication
with the coast.
The colonial administration, attempting to teach the native population to focus more on agriculture, to make up for losses in trade, as well as to
introduce civilisation (discourage polygamy, for example), had to proceed with patience. In the early years of the 20th century, the colony was
pacified, civilian district officers had replaced military commanders almost everywhere. Armed resistance had ceased.
The policy as regards treatment of the natives differed from governor to governor. Acting governor Leist (-1895) was accused of cruelty; under him
the Dahomeyan soldiers of the Polizeitruppe rebelled. Governor Seitz aimed at protecting the rights of the natives and integrating them in the lower
levels of the administration.
E.) Territorial Gain in 1911 and World War I
In 1911 in the SECOND MOROCCAN CRISIS, Germany finally gave up it's claim for the Moroccan port of Agadir in exchange for a large stretch of
territory in northern Gabon and Northern Moyen Congo, ceded by France (Germany also ceded a stretch of Cameroonese territory in the North,
which extended far east). The newly acquired territory - 195,000 square km - was of limited value, most of it overgrown by the jungle. Germany had
little time to either develop or exploit it. In 1914, World War I broke out and the colony of Kamerun was surrounded by enemy territory - British
Nigeria in the west, French Equatorial Africa in the east and south. Only Spanish Guinea and the Portuguese islands of Sao Tome and Principe
were neutral neighbours. In 1916, the colony was invaded by British, Belgian and French troops, which established their respective military
administrations; the lion's share fell to the French.
Map of Africa 1890, from Encyclopaedia Britannica,
Am. edition, 1890, from Perry Castaneda Library, Utexas, features Adamawa and Bornu as yet independent
Map of Africa 1892, from Gardiner's Atlas of English History
Map of Central Africa 1895 from
Annales de Geographie IV, from Perry Castaneda Library, UTexas, has borders between Congo and Kamerun
Map of Haussaland 1896, from
Perry Castaneda Library, Map Coll., UTexas; features Nigerian-Kamerunese border, Adamawa
Map of 1912, from Deutsche Schutzgebiete,
shows pre-1911 borders
Map featuring Kamerun economically during the colonial period, posted at Jaduland
Map featuring Kamerun in the borders of 1912, posted at Jaduland
Map speculating on border changes of 1911, posted by Jaduland
Map featuring Kamerunbucht (Cameroon Bay), posted by Jaduland
Deutscher Kolonialatlas und Illustriertes Jahrbuch (German Colonial Atlas and Illustrated Yearbook, an annual publication), years 1905-1909, 1913, 1914,
1918, posted by psm-data, both in the original German
and in English translation, scroll down for "Deutscher Kolonialatlas"
Wilhelm von Puttkamer, Der gegenwärtige Stand der Eisenbahnbauten in unseren Kolonien,from : Süssenrotters Illustrierter Kolonial-Kalender 1912,
posted on the web by Rado Jadu
Documents from Protokolle des Reichstags, facsimiles
posted by Bayrische Staatsbibliothek
(1) Sammlung von Aktenstücken betreffend die Unterstellung einiger an der Biafra Bai belegenen Küstenstriche unter den Schutz Seiner Majestaet
des Kaisers (Collection of documents concerning placing a number of coastal stretches on Biafra Bai under the protection of His Imperial Majesty
the Kaiser), 1884, click : 1871-1895, click : 1884-1887, click : Band 91 1885/1885 Anlagen 1-161, click Anlagen 40,41, pp.113-142, in German, Gothic font;
the English translation is posted on psm-data
(2) Debatte ueber den mündlichen Bericht der Kommission fuer den Reichshaushaltsetat über Petitionen, betreffend die Deutschen Schutzgebiete
in Südwestafrika resp. die Bekämpfung des Sklavenhandels (debate about the oral report by the budget commission on petitions regarding the
German protectorates in Southwest Africa respectively combat of slavery), 1890, click : 1871-1895, click 1887-1890, click Band 126 : 1889/1890
Sitzungen 26-52, p.1221, in German, Gothic font, Kamerun not mentioned, but Westafrika
(3) Denkschrift ueber die Deutschen Schutzgebiete (Memorandum concerning the German protectorates), 1885, click : 1871-1894, click : 1884-1887,
click : Band 98 Anlagen 1-112, click : Anlagen 43-44, pp.134-137 and Anlagen 45 p.138 contain the text, in German, Gothic font; on Kamerun and Togo
pp.134-135
(4) Denkschrift betreffend das Schutzgebiet Kamerun (Memorandum concerning the protectorate of Kamerun), Dec. 9th 1893, click : 1871-1895,
click : 1893-1895, click : Band 156 Anlagen 1-117, click : Anlage 105, pp.699-717
(5) Denkschrift betreffend Kamerun (Memorandum concerning Kamerun), Dec. 20th 1894,
click : 1871-1895, click : 1893-1895, click : Band 162 Anlagen 1-171, click : Anlage 89, pp.416-426, text in German, Gothic font
Images of Colonial Africa : Amer. Presbyterian Mission, Cameroon, c.1900, 9 images, from
Billy Graham Center Archives at Wheaton College,
photos taken by Laura Neva Collins Deutsches Kolonial Lexikon 1920,
click Recherche, K, Kamerun; has numerous other articles on the colony; site in German
Banknotes of Cameroon, 1914-1922, from Numismondo
REFERENCE
Harry Rudin, Germans in the Cameroons 1884-1914. A Case Study in Modern Imperialism, New Haven : Yale Univ. Press 1938, 456 pp.
Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Cameroon, by Mark W. DeLancey and H. Mbella Mokeba, Metuchen : Scarecrow 2nd ed., 1990, 297 pp.
Article : Cameroon, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1913 p.1012 [G]
Article : Cameroons, in : Statesman's Year Book 1895 p.569, 1898 pp.567-568 [G]
Article : Kamerun, in : Statesman's Year Book 1901 pp.652-653, 1905 pp.723-724, 1910 pp.859-860 [G]
Article : Cameroon, in : International Year Book 1898 pp.149-150 [G]
Article : Cameroons, in : Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia and Register of Important Events 1886 p.129 [G]
This page is part of World History at KMLA First posted in 2001, last revised on September 6th 2007
