TIL Vernichtungsbefehl - "Annihilation Command" - was issued by Lieutenant General of German South West Africa Lothar von Trotha in 1904. From January to August over 40,000 people died from starvation, dehydration, exposure to elements as men, women and children were cast out into the desert

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothar_von_Trotha#Genocide_of_Herero_and_Nama
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1xdqenp/til_vernichtungsbefehl_annihilation_command_was/