ABSTRACT
The history of German colonisation, though it covers only a short period of time, is particularly interesting because German colonial policy quickly passed through several significant phases. Changes which in the overseas possessions of other countries were a matter of gradual evolution took place much more rapidly in the German colonial empire. The Germans were late-comers in the field of colonial expansion and it is not surprising that they made mistakes at first. But they learned quickly. Between 1884 and 1914 German colonial policy passed rapidly through several distinct phases.
