Shark Island is a rocky peninsula connected to the main Lüderitz landmass by a narrow causeway, now used as a campsite and picnic area. Its deceptive beauty — dramatic views, crashing surf, and good birdlife — conceals a dark history. Between 1905 and 1907 it served as a concentration camp for Herero and Nama prisoners captured after the German colonial military campaign that constitutes one of the first genocides of the 20th century.
The conditions on Shark Island were deliberately murderous: prisoners were exposed to the Atlantic winds and cold without adequate shelter, fed starvation rations, and used for forced labour. Thousands died. A small memorial marks the site. Germany formally acknowledged the genocide in 2021 after years of negotiations with Namibia. Visiting the island with this history in mind gives a very different perspective on the attractive German colonial townscape of Lüderitz itself.