German lawmakers debate recognition of colonial-era genocide in Namibia, reparations for victims’ descendants

EDITIONPoliticsEuropeGerman lawmakers debate recognition of colonial-era genocide in Namibia, reparations for victims' descendantsOpposition parties seek acknowledgment of legal responsibility, direct compensation for OvaHerero and Nama victimsAyhan Simsek15 October 2026•Update: 15 October 2026BERLINGerman lawmakers debated opposition proposals Wednesday calling for full recognition of the country’s legal responsibility for the colonial-era genocide against the OvaHerero and Nama peoples in present-day Namibia, along with reparations paid directly to victims’ descendants.

The Bundestag held a 30-minute debate on separate motions submitted by the socialist Left Party and the environmentalist Greens, referring both to the Foreign Affairs Committee for further consideration.

The Left Party called on the government to formally acknowledge “full historical responsibility and legal liability under international law” for the atrocities committed by the German Empire.

Its motion also demanded immediate, comprehensive reparations paid directly to the descendants of those killed or persecuted.

The Greens called for an official apology by the Federal Republic of Germany to Namibia and the victims’ descendants, as well as the return of cultural artifacts and human remains held in German collections.

The debate also saw a protest against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), with Left Party lawmakers turning their backs as AfD deputy Ronald Glaeser addressed parliament.

Fellow AfD lawmaker Alexander Wolf criticized the motions, arguing that they reflected “German self-hatred” among “left-green ideologues” rather than genuine concern for Namibia.

Germany ruled present-day Namibia as a colony from 1884 to 1915, using military force to suppress resistance and expand colonial control.

Between 1904 and 1908, German colonial forces carried out a campaign of mass violence against the OvaHerero and Nama peoples.

An estimated 100,000 people were killed, died of thirst or perished in detention camps. Historians widely regard the atrocities as the first genocide of the 20th century.

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