The Hudtwalcker Family in Africa
A grandson of Margaretha Elisabeth Milow, born Hudtwalcker, who lived from 1748 to 1794, was a Hamburg merchant. In 1847 he bought a ship, and sent it overseas to sell and buy goods in other continents.
He soon specialized in trade with Africa, and over the years he built up what was the biggest German trading company in West Africa, and a German shipping line going there. In 1884, Germany acquired a few colonies in Africa, amongst them Namibia (then known as South West Africa). Trade and shipping was extended to Namibia in 1894. Germany lost all her colonies at the end of the First World War, however the trading company managed to survive, and some family members who had come to Namibia to work for the trading company stayed on.
Note
There is only limited information available to us about the Hudtwalcker Family in Africa. However, we hope further research will provide us with more information.
www.hudtwalcker.com 2017