Hans Dominik (Schutztruppe)

Hans Dominik ( born May 7, 1870 in Kulm, † December 16, 1910 at sea, buried in Berlin- Schöneberg) was an officer of the Imperial Security Assistance Force in Cameroon and long -term director of the station Yaounde.

Career

Growing up in Schwedt at a guardian, Dominik attended the local grammar school and entered 1889 as an ensign in the Grenadier Regiment " Prince Carl of Prussia " (2nd Brandenburg ) Ranked # 12 in Frankfurt ( Oder). In 1890 he was appointed Lieutenant - Sekonde, 1897 First Lieutenant, in 1904 promoted to captain.

Dominik was under the patronage of the same regiment entstamme ends Captain Curt morning, had made ​​in 1889 and 1890-91, two major research trips through Central Cameroon. When morning was commissioned in 1894 with the formation of the Cameroonian security force, Dominik was ordered to service in the Foreign Office and added to the morning as adjutant. He took over in Cairo for the recruitment of Sudanese mercenaries for the neuzubildende force of the German colony and participated in the first military action against the subscription northwest of the port city of Douala. In March and April 1895 another expedition against the Kpe in Buea followed on Mount Cameroon. 1896-1898 Dominik was head of the military station Yaounde. It was not until 1897, however, he entered as an officer formally for protection force and took over 1898/99 as a company commander at Wute - Adamawa - campaign under the leadership of the commander of the security force, Oltwig of Kamptz part.

1900/ 01 temporarily re-employed in the home country, he traveled 1901 as a special envoy of the government again to Cameroon. His job was in a political mission to Emir Djubayru of Adamawa, under whose jurisdiction were large parts of the space occupied by the German Empire, dominated by Fulani areas between the Sanaga and Chad. Plans for a peaceful development, however, were to waste, as some junior officers, including the station manager of Joko, Captain Rudolf Cramer of Clausbruch, against the instructions of the Governor Jesko of Puttkamer the military occupation Adamawas ushered. Cramer of Clausbruch conquered in 1901 Ngaoundéré and struck at Garoua the troops of the Emir Djubayru. Dominik took over the command of the German troops standing in Adamawa and erfocht at Miskin - Maroua another victory over the cavalry of the Fulbe, made ​​it quite Adamwa under German suzerainty.

Dominik was initially provided as a resident of northern Cameroon, but was provisionally dismissed due to various raised against him. In 1903 he returned to Cameroon and was reinstated as station manager of Yaoundé. In this position he remained until his death. Dominik drew largely responsible for the expansion of the station. But his position was not unchallenged and his person was often hostility from civil officials and merchants, but also other officers suspended. In Governor Puttkamer Dominik had an important advocate of his actions. After Puttkamer was replaced in 1907, had the unconditional support by the part of the government. In his tenure as chief administrator for the Yaoundé district was 1910, the revolt of the upper Nyong Makaa, he prostrated in conjunction with the Captain Marschner. Criticism brought him here in particular the practice, " give away " captive women of the subjugated ethnic groups as prey to loyal auxiliary peoples. The government approved this practice only after considerable debate and to a lesser extent.

Weakened from the rigors of the campaign Hans Dominik died shortly after his promotion to Major on the voyage to Europe. Heinrich Vieter reported in his diary that Dominik was so mentally deranged at their last meeting on the road to the coast already, that he no longer recognized this.

Evaluation and reception

Its importance for the pacification of the colony, the fact that he was the longest-serving in Cameroon officer, not least its ability for self-expression - he published on his activities in Cameroon two books that were widely spread - were after his early death of a kind Dominik myth arise. In Kribi a monument to him was erected in honor, which was later demolished by the French and managed to Germany.

His publications are in spite of their apologetic character to this day a valuable source for the history and ethnology of Cameroon.

There are indications that Dominik has bypassed deliberately as the head in Yaounde a number of administrative regulations. So he enlisted on 5 September 1908, the accounting of exactly 180,000 Mark -to-head taxes in Yaoundé District. The province had become suspicious then demanded a review of the wages paid to the station, but had to settle for a dubious response from the local treasurer Glock satisfied:

Atangana was at this time a close confidant Dominik and eminence grise in Yaounde. Only last year he had reiterated this position by eliminating political opponents. Ultimately, it was the chronic shortage of staff, which prevented a more thorough review of the finances in place.

The subject was re- date, as the estate Dominik was inspected again in 1911 in Douala before shipment to Germany. It contained references to a slush fund. Here too, the government had to make do with an unsatisfactory response from the county 's churchyard:

Publications

• The states on the station Yaoundé and in the area of the upper Sannaga, German colonial Sheet 6 (1895 ), pp. 651-655
• Report of Lieutenant Dominik over the Wutegebiet, German colonial sheet 8 ( 1897), pp. 414-418
• Report of the lieutenant's Premier Dominik on his train against the chief Ngila, German Colonial Journal 9 (1898 ), pp. 622-623
• Report of the lieutenant's Premier Dominik from the station Yaundé, German Colonial Journal 9 (1898 ), pp. 651f.
• Report of the lieutenant's Premier Dominik on a punitive expedition against the Batschengastamm, German Colonial Journal 14 (1899 ), pp. 14f.
• The situation in Cameroon, German colonial newspaper 7 (1900 ), pp. 153f.
• Cameroon. Six years of war and peace in German tropics, Berlin 1901, 2nd ed Berlin 1911 online
• The Bapea expedition, German Colonial Journal 16 (1905 ), pp. 526-533
• From Atlantic to Tsadsee. War and research cruises in Cameroon, Berlin, 1908.