Germany–South Africa relations

Germany - South Africa relations

Germany	South Africa

Germany–South Africa relations refers to current and historical relationship between Germany and South Africa. South Africa has an embassy in Berlin and a consulate in Munich. Germany has an embassy in Pretoria and a consulate in Cape Town.

History

World War I

Main article: German South-West Africa

In 1914, South Africa entered World War I on behalf of the British Empire against the German Empire. South Africa subsequently conquered German South-West Africa and occupied it until the independence of Namibia in 1990.

World War II

South Africa entered World War II on the side of the Allies against Nazi Germany and other Axis members. Many in South Africa, including the Afrikaner Ossewabrandwag (OB) movement, objected and sought to maintain South African neutrality during the conflict, if not enter the war on the side of Germany.

Members of the OB refused to enlist in the South African forces, and sometimes harassed servicemen in uniform. This erupted into open rioting in Johannesburg on 1 February 1941; 140 soldiers were seriously hurt.

More dangerous than this was the formation of the Stormjaers (English: Assault troops, literally stormhunters), a paramilitary wing of the OB similar to the Nazi Sturmabteilung. The nature of the Stormjaers was evidenced by the oath sworn by new recruits: "If I retreat, kill me. If I die, avenge me. If I advance, follow me" (Afrikaans: As ek omdraai, skiet my. As ek val, wreek my. As ek storm, volg my).

The Stormjaers engaged in sabotage against the Union government. They dynamited electrical power lines and railroads, and cut telegraph and telephone lines. These types of acts were going too far for most Afrikaners, and Malan ordered the National Party to break with the OB in 1942.

The Union government cracked down on the OB and the Stormjaers, placing thousands of them in internment camps for the duration of the war. Among the internees was future prime minister B. J. Vorster.

At the end of the war, the OB was absorbed into the National Party and ceased to exist as a separate body.

Post-apartheid

Since the end of apartheid, relations between the two countries have increased. The German-South African Binational Commission has provided a framework for bilateral cooperation since 1996.

State visits

In October 2007, Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel visited South Africa to meet South African President Thabo Mbeki. In 2010, German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle visited South Africa and called the relationship "excellent" and "a strategic partnership" in both economics and world affairs.

Trade

South Africa is Germany's largest trading partner in Africa. Trade between the two countries is very sizable and worth a total of EUR 12.6 billion (2008). In 2010, Germany was South Africa's fourth largest trading partner after China, the United States and Japan, with trade totaling 35.478 million rand (3.718 million Euro). South Africa continues to report massive trade deficits with Germany and recently South Africa's department of trade and industry brought this to the attention of the European union pending renegotiation of trade between the two nations.

See also

• Military history of South Africa during World War II
• South-West Africa Campaign