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
DOI 10.60531/INSIGHTOUT.2024.2.6| FRAUWALLNER: IN//OUT OF FRAME_ INSIGHTOUT 2(2024) 28Michaela FrauwallnerIn//out of frameHerero women as forced laborers in the construction of the Otavi Railway incolonial Namibia during the German-Namibian War, 1904–1908ABSTRACTThis contribution aims to examine the experiences of Herero women as forced laborers in theconstruction of the Otavi Railway in colonial Namibia during the German-Namibian War. Thecase 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. Thepaper highlights the intersecting oppressions of race and gender that shaped the realities ofHerero women, illustrating the particular vulnerabilities they faced as colonial subjects. Byanalyzing the historical legacy of the colonial infrastructure projects and the gendered implications of forced labor, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexitiesof gender and colonialism in Namibia during this critical period.CVMichaela Frauwallner is a scholar of African studies and has been working as a researcher forthe project"Colonial Infrastructures" at the Vienna Museum of Technology since 2023. In thiscontext, she examines colonial railroad networks in German Southwest Africa(Namibia) andBritish India(India and Pakistan). Her research interests include the role of railroads as instruments of colonial rule and Austrian participation in colonial exploitation.KEYWORDSForced labor, Colonial infrastructure, Herero women, Colonial NamibiaMichaela Frauwallner,“In//out of frame: Herero women as forced laborers in the constructionof 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), 27–36,DOI: 10.60531/insightout.2024.2.6DOI: 10.60531/insightout.2024.2.6Published under license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
