‘Grab For Africa’
written for “The Press” by KENNETH ANTHONY)
AfANY people have never heard of South-West Africa, yet one day it may leap into the world’s headlines. This large area is half as big again as France, but much of it is semi-desert and it is sparsely inhabited, with a population of little more than half a million. Its recorded history begins with the “Grab for Africa”— that amazing episode of the last quarter of the 19th century when rival European powers competed for possession of such parts of the “Dark Continent” as were still unclaimed. Germany, newly-united under Bismark after the Franco-Prussian war, was a leading contender, and one of the areas that fell under German domination, largely because no-one else was very interested in it, was SouthWest Africa.
Windhoek, the capital, was
founded in 1890 by the German explorer, Kurt von Francois, who is portrayed on this stamp issued to mark the 75th anniversary of the city. He chose a picturesque site some 5500 feet above sea level.
overlooked by a ring of hills to shelter the city from the strong winds. After commanding several expeditions he chose to settle in South -West Africa and lived there, writing books and
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CV, Issue 31042, 23 April 1966, Page 5
Word Count
203‘Grab For Africa’ Press, Volume CV, Issue 31042, 23 April 1966, Page 5
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Acknowledgements
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