Namibia will observe its first official Genocide Remembrance Day on May 28, 2025, commemorating the closure of German-run concentration camps in 1908. The day honors the memory of the Herero and Nama genocide, one of the earliest atrocities of the 20th century, committed by German colonial forces between 1904 and 1908.
During that period, tens of thousands of Herero and Nama people were systematically killed through mass executions, forced displacement into the desert, and starvation. Many others perished in concentration camps set up by the German military.
The Namibian government formally designated May 28 as Genocide Day in 2024, aiming to create a national space for reflection and remembrance. However, the decision has drawn criticism from some within the Herero and Nama communities, who argue that the chosen date lacks a direct link to the most significant events of the genocide.
Community leaders and activists have instead called for October 2 to be observed—a date that marks the 1904 extermination order issued by German General Lothar von Trotha against the Herero people. They argue this date better reflects the brutal policy that launched the genocide and its devastating impact.
In 2016, Germany officially recognized the killings as genocide and, in 2021, pledged €1.1 billion over 30 years in development aid to Namibia. The deal, however, has faced backlash for not offering direct reparations to the descendants of the victims and for excluding key representatives of the affected communities from negotiations.
As Namibia prepares for its first national commemoration, debates around historical justice, recognition, and reparations remain central to ongoing reconciliation efforts.
