List of former German colonies

German colonies throughout history:

  German Empire

  Colonies of the German Empire

  Prussian-Brandenburg colonies

  "Little Venice"

This is a list of former German colonies and protectorates (German: Schutzgebiete) established by the German Empire, Brandenburg-Prussia and the Habsburg Monarchy.

Brandenburg–Prussian colonies[]

These were colonies unsuccessfully settled by Brandenburg-Prussia (part of the Holy Roman Empire realm), after 1701 Kingdom of Prussia, before the foundation of the German Empire in 1871.

Africa[]

• Groß Friedrichsburg (in Ghana), 1683–1718
• 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[]

These territories were held briefly under lease or occupation during the early European colonization of the New World.

• Saint Thomas. Leased by Brandenburg from the Danish West India Company, 1685–1720.
• Island of Crabs (Krabbeninsel in German) (Caribbean, now US), Brandenburg annexation in the Danish West Indies, 1689–1693
• Tertholen (Caribbean), 1696. Occupation.

South America[]

• Klein-Venedig,1528–1545

Habsburg colonies[]

These were colonies of the Habsburg Monarchy, part of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation realm until 1804, Austrian Empire after 1804, Austria-Hungary from 1867 to the end of World War I.

• Banquibazar & Cabelon (1719/23–1744/50)
• Nicobar islands (1778–1783)
• Tientsin concession (1901–1917)

Imperial German colonies[]

These are colonies settled by and controlled by the German Empire from 1884 to 1919. Those territories constituted the German Colonial Empire.

Africa[]

The following were German African protectorates:

German colonies in Africa, 1884–1920

• 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): present-day Rwanda and Burundi after the Belgian mandate period.
  • Wituland (1885–1890): Part of Kenya since 1890.
  • Kionga Triangle: since 1920 (earlier occupied) part of 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 the following.
    • A British part, Cameroons, later split in half, with one part joining Nigeria and the other becoming part of modern Cameroon. (Kamerun, Nigeria-Ostteil, Tschad-Südwestteil, Zentralafrikanische Republik-Westteil, Republik Kongo-Nordostteil, Gabun-Nordteil)
    • French Cameroun, which became present Cameroon.
  • Togoland (1884–1914): after World War I it separated into
    • A British part (Ghana-Westteil), which joined Ghana.
    • A French part, which became Togo republic, according to the Treaty of Versailles concluding World War I.

Pacific[]

Nauru Annexation Germany 1888

These were German colonies in the Pacific:

• German New Guinea (Deutsch-Neuguinea) (1884–1914) and Micronesia (later incorporated into the German New Guinea)
  • 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)
  • 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) (1899–1914): present-day Samoa.

Colonial Possessions and Protectorates of the German Empire, 1883–1920, confirmed by Treaty, International Agreement, or Purchase

China[]

These Treaty ports were German concessions in China, leased to it by the Qing Dynasty:

• Jiaozhou Bay concession (Kiautschou Bay concession) (Deutsch-Kiautschou) (1898–1914)
• Chefoo (1901–1918)
• Tsingtao (1891–1914)

See also[]

• German colonization of the Americas
• German colonial empire
• German colonial projects before 1871
• Klein-Venedig
• Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty
• Postage stamps and postal history of the German colonies
• New Swabia
• Ernst Thälmann Island

References[]

External links[]

• Media related to Former colonies of Germany at Wikimedia Commons
• German colonies (in German)
• WorldStatesmen