Germany and reparations : the reconciliation agreement with Namibia

Abstract

In 2015 Germany admitted that the warfare in its colony South West Africa was tantamount to genocide. Bilateral negotiations with the Namibian government resulted in May 2021 in a so-called reconciliation agreement. This is not yet ratified. This article critically examines its limitations. It explains why this – despite being a step in the right direction – has so far been insufficient and a form of tokenism. In the absence of true efforts to reconcile with the descendants of the local communities most affected by the genocide, the government-to-government negotiations have failed so far to achieve any meaningful reconciliation.