Recht und Emotion: ‚German Angst‘ und das Verwaltungshandeln in Deutsch-Südwestafrika

Abstract

The paper establishes a relationship between the academic complex ‘Law and Emotion’ and the concept of ‘German Angst’ using the example of the former colony German South West Africa. ‘German Angst’ is a special manifestation of the feeling of fear. It describes a merely perceived threat, an unfounded anxiety, which under certain circumstances should be typical of “the Germans”. The article examines whether what is today understood by ‘German Angst’ had already been influencing the extreme colonial administrative action and legislative measures towards the African population in German South West Africa compared to other former German overseas territories.