User:Sean Faron/sandbox

' German unification[edit] '''Until their 1871 unification, the German states had not concentrated on the development of a navy, and this essentially had precluded German participation in earlier imperialist scrambles for remote colonial territory – the so-called "place in the sun". Germany seemed destined to play catch-up. The German states prior to 1870 had retained separate political structures and goals, and German foreign policy up to and including the age of Otto von Bismarck concentrated on resolving the "German question" in Europe and securing German interests on the continent.[3]((However, after their unification under the Prussians, the new German nation state began to plot a colonial future. cite, https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/wileyempire/germany_2_colonial_empire/0)) On the other hand, Germans had traditions of foreign sea-borne trade dating back to the Hanseatic League; a tradition existed of German emigration (eastward in the direction of Russia and Transylvania and westward to the Americas); and North German merchants and missionaries showed interest in overseas engagements. The Hanseatic republics of Hamburg and Bremen sent traders across the globe. These trading houses conducted themselves as successful Privatkolonisatoren [independent colonizers] and concluded treaties and land purchases in Africa and the Pacific with chiefs or other tribal leaders. These early agreements with local entities, however, later formed the basis for annexation treaties, diplomatic support and military protection by the German government.[4]Shedden comments: I don't see any changes between the original text and your own. Just copying text is not enough work.

https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/wileyempire/germany_2_colonial_empire/0- The Germans colonial ventures were directly related to their national image. At the time colonialism begins being discussed, the German Nation state isn't even unified. They don't know weather or not Austria should be included, so the colonies served as a truly German territory. https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/wileyempire/germany_2_colonial_empire/0- Rhenish Aristocrats in 1844 attempted to set up a German colony in the independent state of Texas. about 7400 settlers were involved. Around half of them died, the venture being a complete failure. A constant lack of supplies and land didn't help, and the next year Texas joined the US. https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/wileyempire/germany_2_colonial_empire/0- The German Colonial empire got its start in 1884/1885, and in those years they acquired several territories, German East Africa, German South-West Africa, Cameroon, and Togo in Africa. Germany was also active in the Pacific, Germany annexed a series of islands that would be called German New Guinea. The northwestern region of New Guinea was called Kaiser-Wilhelmsland, the Bismarck Archipelago to the islands east, this also contained two larger islands named New Mecklenburg and New Pomerania, they also acquired the Northern Solomon Islands. These islands were given the status of protectorate, until

In recent years scholars have debated the "continuity thesis" that links German colonialist brutalities to the treatment of Jews, Poles and Russians during World War II. Some historians argue that Germany's role in southwestern Africa gave rise to an emphasis on racial superiority at home, which in turn was used by the Nazis, and prompted the brutal treatment. Other scholars, however, are skeptical and challenge the continuity thesis. '''However, it should be noted that only one colonial officer gained an important place in the Nazi administration.

Social Darwinism and general racism were both practiced almost worldwide at this time. In Germany it was becoming imbedded into everyday society. Some scientists called out for extermination, however not everyone went in this direction. Colonial German physicians and administrators tried to make a case for increasing the native population, in order to also increase their numbers of laborer's. Eugene Fischer, an anthropologist at the University of Freiburg, agreed with that notion saying that they should only be supported as necessary and as they prove to be useful. Once their use is gone Europeans should, "allow free competition, which in my(Fisher's) opinion means their demise." . ''' However, it should be noted that Togoland saw its own share of bloodshed. The Germans used forced labor and harsh punishment to keep the Africans in line. Although the lack of any true war led some in Europe to call Togoland Germanys "model colony."

Plans to regain their lost colonial possessions persisted through WW2, with people at the time suspecting that was the goal of the Third Reich all along.