The Schutztruppe was the colonial armed force of Imperial Germany from the late 1800s to 1918 when Germany lost its colonies. It was made up of Germans who volunteered for colonial service with native troops called Askaris. Control over the Schutztruppen was exercised by the German Colonial Office. Police forces also existed in these colonies, in addition to Tsingtau, New Guinea, and German-held South Pacific Islands.

In 1914 there were three Schutztruppe commands:

1. German East Africa consisting of 14 companies totalling 2,500 men with its headquarters in Dar es Salaam and reached 14,000 personnel and many more porters and laborers. They were commanded by Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck and went on to become the last German unit to surrender.
2. German Southwest Africa consisting of 10 companies totalling 1,500 men, all Germans. Relations between the Germans and the Africans in this colony had deteriorated to the point that no Africans would serve. However many Boers and Afrikaans did join to renew their fight against Great Britain. There were two regional headquarters:
   • Northern Districts Command in Windhoek
   • Southern Districts Command in Keetmanshoop
3. German West Africa
   • Cameroon (German Kamerun) consisting of 11 companies totalling 1,600 men with its headquarters in Soppo
   • Togo (German Togoland} none stationed in the country, however, 1,000 or so were raised during the Great War. By the end of August 1914, all had surrendered to invading French and British forces.

External links

• German Colonial Uniforms
• A German language naval and military history site

Military history of Germany

Schutztruppe