Schutztruppe
Schutztruppe | |
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Herero and Namaqua Genocide World War I |
Schutztruppe (German: [ˈʃʊtsˌtʁʊpə] , lit. Protection Force) was the official name of the colonial troops in the African territories of the German colonial empire from the late 19th century to 1918. Similar to other colonial armies, the Schutztruppen consisted of volunteer European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical and veterinary officers. Most enlisted ranks were recruited from indigenous communities within the German colonies or from elsewhere in Africa.[1]
Military contingents were formed in
Deployment
The name of the German colonial force dates back to the parlance of Chancellor
When in 1888 the
Schutztruppe formations under the supreme command of the
In 1896 a central Schutztruppe command (Kommando der Schutztruppen) was established as part of the Colonial Department. Despite its name, this agency exercised no military leadership but served as an administrative authority. It was located at Berlin’s Mauerstrasse, in proximity to the Colonial Office. At the beginning of the
German East Africa
- See also East African Campaign (World War I)
At the outbreak of the First World War, the Schutztruppe in
A pre-war company consisted of 160 (expandable to 200) men in three platoons (Züge) of 50 to 60 men each, including two machine-gun teams. Each of the 14 companies also had a minimum 250 man carrier contingent as well as native irregulars known as Ruga-Ruga, called Fita-Fita in German Samoa, of approximately the same size units.[3]
- 1st Company (Kompagnie): Neu Moshi[4]
- 2nd Company: Iringa and Unbena
- 3rd Company: Lindi
- 4th Company: Kilimatinde and Singida (Dodoma ?)
- 5th Company: Massoko (Langenburg)
- 6th Company: Udjidiji and Kassulo
- 7th Company: Bukoba, Ussuwi and Kifumbiro
- 8th Company: Tabora
- 9th Company: Usumbura
- 10th Company: Dar es Salaam
- 11th Company: Kissenji and Mruhengeri
- 12th Company: Mahenge
- 13th Company: Kondoa Irangi
- 14th Company: Muansa and Ikoma
The Dar es Salaam garrison further included a recruitment depot, a signals department and quartermaster unit.
Overall strength was 300 European recruits and 2,472 Africans, specifically 68 combatant officers, 60 warrant officers and
During the First World War, companies numbered 15 through 30 were added, plus eight (A through G, and L) temporary companies; and 1st through 10th Schützenkompagnies [rifle companies]. The Schützenkompagnies were originally composed of white settlers, their sons, plantations administrators and trading company employees but some units became racially mixed as the war dragged on. Numerous other small detachments were also formed. Several, possibly four, Reserve Kompagnien were also raised consisting of older Askari, they were prefixed by the letter "R".[8]
German Southwest Africa
The Schutztruppe in German Southwest Africa was structured in 12 companies of mounted infantry totalling 1,500 men, primarily Germans. The 7th Company, stationed in the northern desert area of the colony, was mounted on imported camels. A single unit, called the
The colonial forces for German Southwest Africa consisted of volunteers from the imperial army and navy (including some
The structure of the Southwest African forces was as follows:
German Southwest Africa Command at
Northern district command: Windhuk
- 1st Company: Regenstein, Seeis
- 4th Company: Okanjande
- 6th Company: Outjo and Otavi
- 2nd Battery: Johann-Albrechts-Höhe
- Transport platoon 1: Karibib
- Office for provisions: Karibib
- Horse depot: Okawayo
- Artillery and train depot: Windhuk
- Military hospital and medical depot: Windhuk
- Clothing depot: Windhuk
- Local headquarters: Windhuk
- Local headquarters and quartermaster: Swakopmund
Southern district command: Keetmanshoop
- 2nd Company: Ukamas
- 3rd Company: Kanus
- 5th Company: Chamis and Churutabis
- 7th and 8th Company (camel cavalry), military hospital: Gochas and Arahoab
- 1st Battery: Narubis
- 3rd Battery: Gibeon
- Transport platoon 2: Keetmanshoop
- Artillery and train depot: Keetmanshoop
- Military hospital and medical depot: Keetmanshoop
- Clothing depot: Keetmanshoop
- Office for provisions: Keetmanshoop
- Garrison administration: Keetmanshoop
- Horse depot: Aus
- Camel stud farm: Kalkfontain
- Local headquarters and quartermaster: Lüderitz
At the outbreak of the war the force had a total strength of 91 officers, 22 physicians, 9 veterinarians, 59 civilian administrators, ammunition technicians, 342 NCOs and 1,444 German other ranks for a total of 1,967 personnel.[9]
German West Africa
Kamerun
German West Africa encompassed two colonial entities, Kamerun and Togoland.
The Kamerun force in 1914 consisted of 12 companies, totalling 1,600 men with headquarters at Soppo and established in 1894 from the existing police force (formed in 1891).
The structure of the Kamerun forces was as follows:
Central Command: Soppo near the capital Buea[10]
- 1st Company (headquarters company) and artillery detachment: Douala
- 2nd Company: Bamenda, Wum and Kentu
- 3rd Company: Mora and Kusseri
- 4th Company: (expedition/survey company): Soppo
- 5th Company: Bouar, Carnot and Ebolowa
- 6th Company: Mbaiki, Nolaand Nguku
- 7th Company: Garua, Marua, Mubi
- 8th Company: Ngaundere
- 9th Company: Dume and Baturi
- 10th Company: Ojem and Mimwoul
- 11th Company: Akoafim and Minkebe
- 12th Company: Bumo, Fianga, and Gore
The companies were assigned to 49 garrisons in Kamerun and consisted of 61 officers, 23 physicians, 23 civilian administrators, ammunition technicians, 98 German NCOs and 1,650 African enlisted ranks for a total personnel count of 1,855.[10]
Togoland
Togoland had a total police force of 673 personnel deployed throughout the colony.[11] Approximately 1,000 troops were raised after the outbreak of the war. With very little arms, ammunition, or provisions, by the end of August 1914, all units had surrendered to French and British forces.[citation needed]
Appearance
When the Schutztruppe for German East Africa was founded in 1891, special uniforms were created which, among other things, were intended to underline the special position of the Schutztruppe as an independent part of the Reichsheer. The uniforms corresponded to the cut of the Prussian Army, initially in grey but later in "
Schutztruppe Askaris wore a pocketless cotton khaki tunic and breeches with blue
Ranks and insignia
The rank insignia of Africans differed by one chevron from German ranks (eg. a German Gefreiter wore no chevrons, an African wore one, a German Unteroffizier wore one chevron, and African wore two etc). Despite them having nominally similar ranks, European NCOs always outranked Native NCOs.[15]
German/European Ranks: Standard Imperial Army collar and or shoulder rank insignia was worn by German/European Officers and men.[15]
Rank group | Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee | Enlisted | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schutztruppe[15] | No insignia | ||||
Feldwebel | Vizefeldwebel | Sergeant | Unteroffizier | Gefreiter |
German East Africa
Many of the original East African Askaris were Sudanese therefore the East African Schutztruppen utilized existing Turkish rank titles. The following ranks existed for East African other ranks:[16]
- Effendi - Sudanese officers (East Africa only) inherited from the Wissmann-Truppe - originally wore one to three, but later only three, silver stars on the shoulder straps[17]
- Senior Sergeant - Feldwebel/Sol - four flat-topped inverted chevrons
- Sergeant - Sargenten/Bet Schausch - three flat-topped inverted chevrons
- Corporal - Unteroffizier/Schausch - two flat-topped inverted chevrons
- Private - Gefreiter/Ombascha - one flat-topped inverted chevron
German West Africa
- Officers
-
Oberst
-
Oberstleutnant
-
Major
-
Hauptmann
-
Oberleutnant
-
Leutnant
- German other ranks
-
Feldwebel
-
Vizefeldwebel, Sergeant
-
Unteroffizier
-
Gefreiter
-
Gemeiner
- African other ranks
-
Feldwebel
-
Sergeant
-
Unteroffizier
-
Gefreiter
Footnotes
- ISBN 978-0-8047-0938-5.
- ^ Hoyt, Guerilla, p. 175
- ^ Miller, Battle for the Bundu, p. 18
- ^ Haupt, p. 34, Schutztruppe garrisons
- ^ Farwell, The Great War in Africa, p. 109
- ISBN 1-84013-476-3.
- ^ Armies in East Africa 1914-18, Osprey Men-at-Arms 379, Peter Abbott, 2002 ISBN 978-1-84176-489-4
- ISBN 978-1-84176-489-4
- ^ Haupt, Deutschlands Schutzgebiete , p. 56
- ^ a b Haupt, p. 70
- ^ Haupt, p. 79
- ISBN 978-1-84176-489-4
- ISBN 978-1-4728-1327-5
- ISBN 978-1-84176-489-4
- ^ a b c "NCO Rank Insignia". GermanColonialUniforms.co.uk. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-84176-489-4.
- ^ "German Colonial Uniforms". s400910952.websitehome.co.uk.
Bibliography
- ISBN 0-393-30564-3
- Haupt, Werner. Deutschlands Schutzgebiete in Übersee 1884–1918 [Germany’s Overseas Protectorates 1884-1918]. Friedberg: Podzun-Pallas Verlag. 1984. ISBN 3-7909-0204-7
- Hoyt, Edwin P. Guerilla. Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck and Germany's East African Empire. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. 1981; and London: Collier Macmillan Publishers. 1981. ISBN 0-02-555210-4.
- Miller, Charles. Battle for the Bundu: The First World War in German East Africa. London: Macdonald & Jane's, 1974; and New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. 1974. ISBN 0-02-584930-1.
Literature
- German Colonial Encyclopaedia, 1920, Volume III, p. 321ff.
- Kopf, Werner. The German colonial force 1889/1918, Dörfler Publishing House
- Morlang, Thomas. Askari und Fitafita. Farbige Söldner in den deutsche Kolonien. Berlin 2008
- Reith, Wolfgang. The Command Authorities of the Imperial Colonial Force in the Homeland. German Soldier Yearbook 2000 and 2001 (2 parts). Munich: Signal Publishing House.
External links
German language sites:
- Protection and Overseas Troops
- Mauerstraße 45/46: The Oberkommando der Schutztruppen (Africa in Berlin – German History Museum)