Hugo by François

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Hugo by François

Hugo von François (born May 12, 1861 in Reichenbach , Silesia, † March 13, 1904 near Okahandja ) was an officer in the German protection force in the colony of German South West Africa , today's Namibia . As the military commander of Windhoek , he organized their defense during the Herero uprising .

Career and life

Hugo von François was a son of the Prussian major general Bruno von François , who died in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War in the Battle of Spichern . His older brother Curt von François was like him an officer in German South West Africa. His younger brother Hermann von François was a general in the First World War .

Handover of the first reinforcement in January 1890 by Sec.Lieut. Maerdier to Hugo von François in Sandwich Harbor

Together with his brother Curt, Hugo von François reached Walvis Bay in German South West Africa (today Namibia ) on June 24, 1889 as the leader of a 21-man military command . In October his brother made sure that he got a bigger share of the settlement and that his seat in the government in Windhoek was strengthened. In 1891 he was promoted to lieutenant and in 1896 to captain. In June 1892 he married Else Gödecke during a brief visit to Germany.

François' house in Greater Windhoek

Hugo von François left German South West Africa in 1894, officially resigned from the military in 1898 and returned to his farm in Otjihase in German South West Africa in 1901 . When the Herero uprising broke out in 1904, he fled to Windhoek on January 12, 1904 and joined the protection force. As a military commander, he organized the city's resistance and its defense. On March 13, 1904, he fell in a battle at the Ovikokorero waterhole in the battle against the Ovaherero .

The Ovikokorero war memorial on Farm Harmonie near Okahandja still commemorates Von François .

Works

  • Nama and Damara , German South West Africa, 1896.

Web links

Commons : Pictures from his book Nama and Damara  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME François, Hugo von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Officer of the German protection force in the former colony of German South West Africa, today's Namibia
DATE OF BIRTH May 12, 1861
PLACE OF BIRTH Reichenbach , Silesia
DATE OF DEATH March 13, 1904
Place of death Okahandja