Frederick Maharero

During the 1880s Frederick’s father, Samuel Maharero, had cautiously accommodated the German occupation of Namibia, over the objections of some of his peers. In this context, Frederick, at the age of 22, travelled to Germany, where he was a participant in the 1896-97 Colonial Exhibition in Berlin.

There, he was joined by nine other Namibians, including two additional princes, Ferdinand Demôndja and Petrus Witbooi, along with a teacher named Josaphat Kamatoto who served as the delegation’s interpreter. During the exhibition, Namibians collectively refused to allow themselves to be displayed in what the organisers of the exhibition considered to be their traditional attire and tools.