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Adrian Dietrich
Lothar von Trotha
(03.07.1848 - 31.03.1920)
place of birth: Magdeburg
Königreich
Preußen: OBH Schutztruppe, Generalleutnant
Generalleutnant Lothar von Trotha was the senior commander in charge of
Imperial Germany's Schutztruppe, Colonial Forces, engaged in German
South West Africa in the early 1900s. It was in this capacity that von Trotha
was widely condemned as having overseen genocidal attacks on the local Herero
civilian population.
Lothar von Trotha joined the armed
forces in time to participate in the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. He
was later engaged in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 as a
Sekonde-Lieutenant with 47th Infantry Regiment. From 1895 to 1897, he functioned
as Deputy Governor of German East Africa. After returning to Germany and
promotion to Generalmajor, von Trotha deployed to China as a brigade commander
with the
Ostiasiatisches Expeditionskorps. He thus saw frontline action during the
1900-01 Boxer Rebellion.
Upon his return to Europe,
von Trotha commanded at the brigade and division level and was promoted to
Generalleutnant in 1903. He was again dispatched to Africa, this time to replace
Theodor Leutwein as Commanding General of the Imperial Schutztruppen
and military governor of German South West Africa, and with primary orders to
put down the burgeoning rebellion by local Herero combatants. Trotha immediately
came into conflict with senior officers such as Oberst Deimling an Major von
Estorff, and had to deal with mass desertions from native military allies. His
mishandling of both the military and civil situation led to the first recorded
genocide of the 20th century, with the deaths of more than 100,000 at the hands
of the Schutztruppen. Public outcry back home on the continent caused Kaiser
Wilhelm II to ultimately have von Trotha relieved of his command and he returned
to Germany. He nonetheless was awarded the Pour le Merite for his service and
continued to serve as an infantry commander until May of 1906. He passed away in
1920 due to complications from typhoid fever.
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