List of colonial heads of Namibia (South-West Africa)

List of Colonial Heads of Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...

(South-West Africa)

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

Term	Incumbent	Notes
German South-West Africa German South-West Africa German South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990...
Agent of Adolf Lüderitz Adolf Lüderitz Franz Adolf Eduard Lüderitz was a German merchant and founder of the first German colony in Southwest Africa.... purchases Angra Pequena Angra Pequena Angra Pequena was a small coastal area in what is now known as Lüderitz, Namibia.First discovered by Europeans in 1487 by the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias. On April 10, 1883 Heinrich Vogelsang first landed at Angra Pequena... (Lüderitz Lüderitz Lüderitz is a harbour town in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.- Overview :... ), taking possession on 12 May 1883
9 April 1883 to 12 May 1883	Heinrich Vogelsang, acting Magistrate
12 May 1883 to 24 April 1884	Adolf Lüderitz Adolf Lüderitz Franz Adolf Eduard Lüderitz was a German merchant and founder of the first German colony in Southwest Africa.... , Magistrate
German South-West Africa German South-West Africa German South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990... Protectorate
24 April 1884 to 7 October 1884	Adolf Lüderitz Adolf Lüderitz Franz Adolf Eduard Lüderitz was a German merchant and founder of the first German colony in Southwest Africa.... , Magistrate
7 October 1884 to May 1885	Gustav Nachtigal Gustav Nachtigal Gustav Nachtigal was a German explorer of Central and West Africa. He is further known as the German Empire's consul-general for Tunisia and Commissioner for West Africa. His mission as commissioner resulted in Togoland and Kamerun becoming the first colonies of a German colonial empire... , Reichskommissar	Imperial commissioner
May 1885 to August 1890	Heinrich Ernst Göring Heinrich Ernst Göring Heinrich Ernst Göring was a German jurist and diplomat who served as colonial governor of German South-West Africa. He was the father of five children including Hermann Göring, the Nazi leader and commander of the Luftwaffe.... , acting Reichskommissar	acting Imperial commissioner
August 1890 to March 1891	Louis Nels Louis Nels Louis Nels was a German government official who served as acting Reichskommissar in German South-West Africa in 1890-1891.... , acting Reichskommissar	acting Imperial commissioner
March 1891 to 14 September 1892	Curt von François Curt von Francois Curt Karl Bruno von François was a military and political figure in the early days of German colonialism in Africa. He is remembered as one of the pioneers of German Southwest Africa .... , Reichskommissar	Imperial commissioner
German South-West Africa German South-West Africa German South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990... Crown Colony
14 September 1892 to November 1893	Curt von François Curt von Francois Curt Karl Bruno von François was a military and political figure in the early days of German colonialism in Africa. He is remembered as one of the pioneers of German Southwest Africa .... , Reichskommissar	Imperial commissioner
November 1893 to 15 March 1894	Curt von François Curt von Francois Curt Karl Bruno von François was a military and political figure in the early days of German colonialism in Africa. He is remembered as one of the pioneers of German Southwest Africa .... , Landeshauptleute	Administrator
15 March 1894 to 18 April 1898	Theodor von Leutwein, Landeshauptleute	Administrator, acting to 27 June 1895
18 April 1898 to 19 August 1905	Theodor von Leutwein, Governor
19 August 1905 to November 1905	Adrian Dietrich Lothar von Trotha Lothar von Trotha Adrian Dietrich Lothar von Trotha was a German military commander widely condemned for his conduct of the Herero Wars in South-West Africa, especially for the events that led to the near-extermination of the Herero.... , acting Governor
November 1905 to 20 May 1907	Friedrich von Lindequist, Governor
20 May 1907 to 20 June 1910	Bruno von Schuckmann, Governor
28 August 1910 to 9 July 1915	Theodor Seitz, Governor
Occupation South-West Africa Campaign The South-West Africa Campaign was the conquest and occupation of German South West Africa, now called Namibia, by forces from the Union of South Africa acting on behalf of the British Imperial Government at the beginning of the First World War.-Background:... by South Africa Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
9 July 1915 to 11 July 1915	Louis Botha Louis Botha Louis Botha was an Afrikaner and first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa—the forerunner of the modern South African state... , Military Governor
11 July 1915 to 30 October 1915	Percival Scott Beves, Military Governor
31 October 1915 to 1 October 1920	Sir Edmond Howard Lacam Gorges, Administrator
1 October 1920 to 17 December 1920	Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr, Administrator
League of Nations Mandate (administered by South Africa)
17 December 1920 to 1 April 1926	Gysbert Reitz Hofmeyr, Administrator
1 April 1926 to 1 April 1933	Albertus Johannes Werth, Administrator
1 April 1933 to 1 April 1943	David Gideon Conradie, Administrator
1 April 1943 to 11 December 1946	Petrus Imker Hoogenhout, Administrator
South Africa rejects a United Nations United Nations The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace... Trusteeship United Nations Trusteeship Council The United Nations Trusteeship Council, one of the principal organs of the United Nations, was established to help ensure that trust territories were administered in the best interests of their inhabitants and of international peace and security... for South-West Africa
11 December 1946 to 6 December 1951	Petrus Imker Hoogenhout, Administrator
6 December 1951 to 1 December 1953	Albertus Johannes Roux van Rhijn, Administrator
1 December 1953 to 1 December 1963	Daniel Thomas du Plessis Viljoen, Administrator
1 December 1963 to 27 October 1966	Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis, Administrator
United Nations General Assembly United Nations General Assembly For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation... terminates the mandate (Resolution 2145) and puts South-West Africa under direct UN responsibility (not recognized by South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
27 October 1966 to 1 November 1968	Wentzel Christoffel du Plessis, Administrator
1 November 1968 to 1 November 1971	Johannes Gert Hendrik van der Wath, Administrator
1 November 1971 to 1 September 1977	Barend Johannes van der Walt, Administrator
1 September 1977 to 7 August 1979	Marthinus T. Steyn, Administrator-General
7 August 1979 to 4 September 1980	Gerrit Viljoen Gerrit Viljoen Gerrit Van Niekerk Viljoen was a South African government minister and member of the National Party.... , Administrator-General
4 September 1980 to 1 February 1983	Danie Hough, Administrator-General
1 February 1983 to 1 July 1985	Willie van Niekerk, Administrator-General
1 July 1985 to 21 March 1990	Louis Pienaar Louis Pienaar Louis Pienaar is a South African lawyer and former diplomat. In 1985, the apartheid government put him in charge of Namibia, in the lead-up to that country's independence in 1990... , Administrator-General
21 March 1990	Independence as Republic of Namibia Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...

For continuation after independence, see: List of Presidents of Namibia.

See also