Germany made an attempt at reconciliation with its colonial past by making an offer of reparations to Namibia. However, this seems like an empty gesture considering the amount of death that occurred between 1904 and 1907. The Herero and Namaqua were targeted by the German Empire. The rebellion against German colonial rule resulted in the violence from Kaiser Wilhelm II. Germany wanted to be on equal footing with other European powers and engaged in imperial conquest. The rebellion was crushed, but German Southwest Africa was lost to the Allies during World War I. President Hage Geingob rejected Germany's offer on the basis the amount of reparations funds remains too low. Negotiations for compensation have been conducted since 2015, with little progress. Descendants of the few survivors of the genocide are demanding a total of $4,000,000,000 in compensation. Germany continues to remain more intractable in regards to compensation. While the two countries do maintain relations, they may become strained. The offers Germany proposes have been revealed to be 10,000,000 euros ($11,000,000) . This proposed agreement is not acceptable to the people who lost their lives and a nation still vexed about past colonial practice. Chancellor Angela Merkel has not made any attempts to increase compensation or reparation amounts. If Germany was able to pay compensation to Israel for the Holocaust, there should be limited dispute about doing the same for Namibia. Germany has a stronger economy in comparison to other European Union states. If Namibia cannot get a compensation amount that is acceptable, it should consider dismantling diplomatic relations. Apologies are not enough to eliminate the legacy of colonial aggression. The negotiations may take longer, however Namibia has the support of other African nations. The African Union could start taking interest in member states that want compensation from other countries such as France, the UK, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal.
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