German East Africa Company

The German East Africa Company (German: Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Gesellschaft) was an organization established at the start of the German colonization of East Africa. This company, in short, was responsible for the activities in the new colony such as setting up leadership, future explorations, and the development of the region.

In 1888, the Company absorbed the bankrupt German Witu Society, which had been created to trade in the German protectorate of Wituland only a year and a half before.

In April 1888 the Company leased the coastal strip opposite Zanzibar from Sultan Khalifa bin Said for 50 years. Its attempt to take over the administration led to a general revolt along the coast of what is now Tanzania. The company could only hold to Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo with the help of the German navy. In 1889, it had to request the assistance of the German government to put down the rebellion.

In 1891, after it became apparent that the Company could not handle its dominions, it sold out to the German government which began to rule German East Africa directly, thus relegating the Company to running some plantations and trade business.

Tom von Prince was born on January 9, 1866, to the British police governor of the British island colony of Mauritius and a German mother. With the death of his father, the mother returned to Germany (Silesia), and entered Tom in an academy for young Prussian male aristocrats. Since Europe was quiet and offered no military advancement, he finally joined Wissmann's Kaiserlich Schutstruppe, (called the Wissmann Truppe) and liked seeing himself as a hero.

By 1890, Tom von Prince was involved in German East Africa as a Lieutenant attempting to control 'the Street of Caravans' under control of the German Wissmann Truppe.

Since the Hehe, under Mquawa, had only attacked and harassed the Germans, leading to the terrible loss of Commander Emil von Zelewski and many of his men, Tom Prince was sent far inland to Lake Nyassa, with a civilian representative of the Antislavery Committee, Wynecken. It was here he met Wissmann, who lent him Bauer, the Wissmann's Safari leader. The three, Prince, Wynecken, and Bauer, were to encircle the Hehe under Mqwawa, with the help of less than 20 Atongas and a few hundred Sangu, enemy of the Hehe.