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The Schutztruppe was the colonial armed force of Imperial Germany from the late 1800s to 1918 when Germany lost its colonies. It was made up of Germans who volunteered for colonial service with native troops called Askaris. Control over the Schutztruppen was exercised by the German Colonial Office. Police forces also existed in these colonies, in addition to Tsingtau, New Guinea, and German-held South Pacific Islands.

In 1914 there were three Schutztruppe commands:

1. German East Africa consisting of 14 companies totalling 2,500 men with its headquarters in Dar es Salaam and reached 14,000 personnel and many more porters and laborers. They were commanded by Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck and went on to become the last German unit to surrender.
2. German Southwest Africa consisting of 12 companies of mounted infantry totalling 1,500 men, primarily Germans. The 7th Company, stationed in the northern desert area of the colony, was mounted on specially imported camels. A single unit, called the 'Bastard' or 'Baster' Company of non-local natives was raised and did serve. Relations between the Germans and the Africans in this colony had deteriorated to the point that no local Africans would serve. However many Boers and Afrikaans did join to renew their fight against Great Britain. There were two regional headquarters:
   • Northern Districts Command in Windhoek
   • Southern Districts Command in Keetmanshoop
3. German West Africa
   • Cameroon (German Kamerun) consisting of 11 companies totalling 1,600 men with its headquarters in Soppo
   • Togo (German Togoland) none stationed in the country, however, 1,000 or so were raised during the Great War. By the end of August 1914, all had surrendered to invading French and British forces.

• German Colonial Uniforms
• A German language naval and military history site

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Former German Schutzgebiete (colonies and protectorates)

Colonies	Africa	Wituland · German East Africa (Tanganyika • Rwanda • Burundi) · German South-West Africa (Namibia) · German West Africa (Kamerun • Togoland)
	Pacific	German Samoa · German New Guinea (German Solomon Islands • German Marshall Islands) · Caroline Islands · Mariana Islands · Nauru · Palau
Concessions	China	Kiaochow (Kiautschou) · Tsingtao
Unrecognized	Antarctica	New Swabia

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