Paper short abstract:

This paper explores transformations of urban spaces in Namibia in relation to the commemoration of the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama (1904-08). Different interpretations of this history are negotiated through changes in the landscape, which span across the different phases of Namibian history.

Paper long abstract:

Since German colonisation of Namibia (1884-1915), the country has experienced multiple tumultuous transformations through South African rule, apartheid, a lengthy liberation struggle, and independence. Still, the traces of its early colonial history are inscribed into its urban landscapes so much so that “foreign visitors to the country will remark on the ‘European’ or even ‘German’ atmosphere that appears to characterise some of the settlements in the country” (Gewald 2009: 256). Namibia’s urban spaces are not neutral. Historical buildings and landmarks – whether in Windhoek or Swakopmund – emplace specific historical narratives and collective memories, often concealing other histories: since Namibian independence in 1990, there have been repeated efforts to remove (Marine Denkmal), replace (Reiterdenkmal), transform (Swakopmund Memorial Cemetery Park), or add on (Genocide Memorial) to the country’s memory artefacts, especially as to incorporate the commemoration of the genocide committed against the Ovaherero and Nama populations by the German forces in 1904-08. These efforts relate to political and topographical developments throughout the twentieth century, and are embedded in ever-changing forms of commemoration, wider societal discourses, and (inter)national politics. Transforming urban spaces is a difficult and often contentious undertaking, as conflicting interpretations of the past and convictions about how to deal with shared histories surface and collide. In this vein, conflicts over interpretations of history are reflected in and negotiated through changes in physical memory landscapes. Studying recent transformations in Namibian memory landscapes and the discourses connected to them may also deliver valuable insights into such developments over time.