German Colony
1890-1918 		Independence
since 1962







on the left : white nurse with pygmees
on the right : Watussi (= Tutsi) warrior


Rwanda a Belgian Colony



In 1916, Belgian troops from the Belgian Congo invaded German East Africa, occupying both Rwanda and Burundi. In the Treaty of Versailles, all German colonies were taken from it. In 1920, the League of Nations transferred Rwanda and Burundi as MANDATES to Belgium.
During the Belgian occupation, a number of outlying Hutu kingdoms were annexed to the Kingdom of Rwanda : Bugama-Kiganda 1916, Cyingogo 1916, Bushiru 1919/1925/1938, Bwanamwari 1919, Buhoma 1924, Bukonya 1931, Kibari 1931, Rwankeri 1931, Ruhengeri (date unknown).
In 1922, the Belgians created the colony of RUANDA-URUNDI. Yet, they left both kingdoms, Rwanda and Burundi, intact, and established administrations in which the real authority lay with the Belgian officials 'advising' the king. In 1922, Rwanda was separated from the apostolic vicariate of Kivu, turned into a separate vicariate.
While under the Germans, Rwanda, regarded a remote outpost, had received little attention, the Belgians intensifyed colonial administration. The elite was educated in French, drawing the country into the circle of francophone countries. Catholic mission, begun under the Germans, was intensifyed. COFFEE was introduced as a crop in 1918.
In 1926-1931, the Belgians undertook an administrative reform, reducing c. 200 chieftainciies to c. 40; they treated Tutsi preferentially when it came to the appointment of chiefs (TUTSIFICATION), because the latter were regarded of a higher, more intelligent race, a race of 'naturally born leaders'.
In 1931, King MUSINGA was deposed by the Belgians; he was succeeded by regents appointed by the Belgians. During World War II, Rwanda suffered a famine in which about 300,000 persons perished (out of a total population of c. 2,000,000).
In 1946, Rwanda became a UN mandate. Constitutional changes were made to assure the native population with political representation. The minority TUTSI managed to dominate positions in the army, administration and economy; this lead to Hutu (who form 85 % of the population) resentment, which turned into civil unrest.
In 1954, Regent Mutara III Rudahigwa decreed the abolition of feudalism.
In 1959, Belgium declared a state of emergency and sent troops in from Belgian Congo, to calm down the situation. After elections held in 1960, a republican government was formed, the monarchy terminated. In 1962, Rwanda was released into independence.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		Rwanda History : the Colonial Period, from NewAfrica.com detailed, yet concise; focusses on the effect colonialism had on the population
Articles from Infoplease : Rwanda, Kigali
History of Rwanda, from UPenn, African Studies
Brief History, from Government of Rwanda
History of the Catholic Church in Rwanda, from Den Katolske Kirke i Norge
Chronology of the History of Rwanda, from RwandaNet
List of Kings of Rwandan Hutu Kingdoms, from World Statesmen by Ben Cahoon; Rwanda, from World Statesmen by Ben Cahoon
DOCUMENTS Maps of Rwanda, from National Geographic, from CIA World Factbook
REFERENCE Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1946 pp. 116-117 (on events of 1945) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1950 pp. 105-106 (on events of 1949) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1950 p. 103 (on events of 1950) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1952 p. 99 (on events of 1951) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1953 pp.99-100 (on events in 1952) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1954 p.98 (on events in 1953) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1955 p.159 (on events in 1954) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1956 pp.99-100 (on events in 1955) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1957 p.158 (on events in 1956) [G]
Article Belgian Colonial Empire, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1958 p.98 (on events in 1957) [G]
Article Belgian Overseas Territories, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1959 pp.100-101 (on events in 1958) [G]
Article Ruanda-Urundi, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1961 p.609 (on events in 1960) [G]
Article Ruanda-Urundi, in : Britannica Book of the Year 1962 p.600-601 (on events in 1961) [G]
Article : Ruanda and Urundi, in : Statesman's Year Book 1943 pp.729-731 [G]
Article : Ruanda-Urundi, in : Americana Annual 1957 p.677 (on events of 1956) [G]
Article : Ruanda-Urundi, in : Americana Annual 1961 pp.647-648 (on events of 1960) [G]
Article : Ruanda-Urundi, in : Americana Annual 1962 pp.652-653 (on events of 1961) [G]
Rwanda and Burundi p.153, in : Year Book and Guide to East Africa 1963 [G]



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2001, last revised on May 1st 2008

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