back
How does it feel to see the colonizer’s monument in the colonized country? As a German myself,
this is the bitter question I asked the Namibian activist Laidlaw Peringanda, who is engaged in the protests to
remove the ‘Marine Monument’. The monument was sent from Germany to Namibia in 1908, during the Herero War. It
commemorates the colonizers only and does not mention the colonized. Until today, this monument stands in the
center of the Namibian city Swakopmund. Some of the German-Namibian community in Swakopmund commemorates it
yearly. For the conversation between Laidlaw and me, the monument has been used not to divide, but to connect us
and along with us two countries, which share history. Thanks so much to Laidlaw Peringanda for sharing his story,
his vision and his initiative to built the first museum in the hands which is the hands of the Herero and Nama. Together through sharing this
video, we have already collected 600€, which allowed Laidlaw to start builing the space! On this page we will share updates on
his progress of building the museum. If you have further questions or ideas how to collaborate, please send me a message:
louisa-wolf@posteo.de. Or you can support Laidlaw and his initative
for the Swakopmund Genocide Museum directly here: swakop.genocide.museum@gmail.com
Marine Monument Swakopmund 1908
Swakopmund Genocide Museum Construction Site, 10/2021
Swakopmund Genocide Museum Construction Site, 10/2021
*