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Curt
Karl Bruno von Francois
(02.10.1852 - 28.12.1931)
place of birth: Luxembourg
Königreich
Preußen: Kdr Schutztruppe, Major
Curt von Francois was an officer attached to
Imperial Germany's Schutztruppe, and who was instrumental in
establishing Germany's foothold in South West Africa (Namibia). He is credited
with founding the Namibian capital city of Windhoek (Windhuk.) Curt was the son
of General Bruno Hugo von Francois. Both he and his father saw front-line action
during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, and father Bruno was killed
in action during fighting at Spicherer Höhen.
After the
war, Lieutenant von Francois was selected to join German officer and
explorer Hermann Wissmann on an expedition to the Congo. In 1885, he again
journeyed to the Congo with British researcher George Grenfell. After having
joined the Great General Staff, Hauptmann Francois once again returned to Africa
in 1887, this time to conduct survey work and research in Germany's colonies of
Cameroon and Togo.
Francois and a small military contingent travelled in 1889 to
the recently established German colony of South West Africa, where colonists
were facing armed resistance from local Herero tribesmen. He established a fort
at Windhoek and functioned as Reichskommissar of S.W. Africa from 1891
to 1893. He further had to deal with an uprising led by Nama leader Hendrik
Witbooi, resulting in a deadly massacre of over 80 civilians at Fortress
Hoornkrans, an event that damaged Francois' reputation in the global press.
In June of 1895, the German unit at Windhoek was officially established as an
Imperial Schutztruppe.
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Major |
22.03.1903 |
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Eisernes
Kreuz II |
Deutsch-Französischer
Krieg 1870–1871 |
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DSW-Afrika Medaille |
Deutsch-Südwestafrika, Herero Aufstand
1904-06 |
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