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Namibian historical flags

Hereroland - or Damara?

Baster Gebiet (Rehoboth)

Upingtonia

"German West Africa" flag

See also:

Hereroland - or Damara?

by Stuart Notholt, 4 Sept 1996, redrawn by Antonio Martins, 18 Nov 1998

In 1864 a flag was designed by a British artist, Thomas Baines. It was a red cross on a blue field with a large 4- pointed white star appearing behind it. Although there is no evidence that the flag was officially adopted, it would have looked much like the British Union Flag in practice.
From an article 'Other Flags of Namibia', by W. Smith in The Flag Bulletin No 145 of January - April 1992
Stuart Notholt, 4 Sept 1996

From A.P. Burgers: Sovereign flags of South Africa (1997):
"The Damara did indeed have a flag for a while. In 1864 Charles John Andersson, an Anglo-Swedish explorer, was elected Chief of the Damara. The flag they adopted at this time was probably, in part, inspired by the British Union Jack. This flag was designed for the Damara by Thomas Baines, the well-known Africana artist, explorer and traveler of the XIX th century, who was then painting in Damaraland. The flag was physically in use on 6 June 1864, when the Damara forces set out under Andersson's command to do battle with their southern neighbours, the Nama. It is also known that it was flown by them during the battle which took place between the two forces south of Windhoek on 22 June 1864. Andersson was seriously wounded, bringing his chieftainship to an end. There is no evidence that the flag was ever used after that date."
Ivan Sache, 20 November 1998

As for the "Herero" flag: this was a flag designed by Thomas Baines for Ch