This contribution aims to examine the experiences of Herero women as forced laborers in the construction of the Otavi Railway in colonial Namibia during the German-Namibian War. The case of Herero women performing forced labor as prisoners of war challenges the notion of labor, infrastructure, and war as exclusively male domains, necessitating a reexamination of these "male spaces”. By exploring various sources, including photographs and witness accounts, the study reveals the gendered dynamics of labor exploitation under German colonialism. The paper highlights the intersecting oppressions of race and gender that shaped the realities of Herero women, illustrating the particular vulnerabilities they faced as colonial subjects. By analyzing the historical legacy of the colonial infrastructure projects and the gendered implications of forced labor, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexities of gender and colonialism in Namibia during this critical period.

CV

Michaela Frauwallner is a scholar of African studies and has been working as a researcher for the project "Colonial Infrastructures" at the Vienna Museum of Technology since 2023. In this context, she examines colonial railroad networks in German Southwest Africa (Namibia) and British India (India and Pakistan). Her research interests include the role of railroads as instruments of colonial rule and Austrian participation in colonial exploitation.

Citation

Michaela Frauwallner, “In//out of frame: Herero women as forced laborers in the construction of the Otavi Railway in colonial Namibia during the German-Namibian War, 1904–1908”, insightOut. Journal on Gender and Sexuality in STEM Collections and Cultures, 2 (2024), S. 27-36, DOI: 10.60531/insightout.2024.2.6