User:Boxstuf/Lothar Von Tortha Biography

LOTHAR VON TROTHA BIOGRAPHY

Birth: Jul. 3, 1848
Death: Mar. 31, 1920

Adrian Dietrich Lothar von Trotha (July 3, 1848 – March 31, 1920) was a German military commander widely condemned for his conduct of the Herero Wars in German South-West Africa, especially for the events that led to the near-extermination of the Herero.Born in Magdeburg, the capital of the Province of Saxony, von Trotha joined the Prussian army in 1865 and fought in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars, for which he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class. He married Bertha Neumann on 15 October 1872.

In 1894 he was appointed commander of the colonial force in German East Africa and was ruthlessly successful in suppressing uprisings including the Wahehe Rebellion. While temporarily posted to Imperial China as Brigade Commander of the East Asian Expedition Corps, he was involved in suppressing the Boxer Rebellion. It was not therefore a surprise when he was appointed Commander in Chief of German South-West Africa on 3 May 1904 and directed to crush the native Herero rebellion.

On 19 November 1905, von Trotha returned to Germany and was appointed as general of the infantry in 1910. He married for a second time on 19 May 1912 (to Lucy Goldstein Brinkmann) and died of typhoid fever (bilious fever) on 31 March 1920 in Bonn. He died in pain, from contaminated food that had poison in it.