A politician named after former German Nazi leader Adolf Hitler has won regional polls in Namibia.
According to the details, Adolf Hitler Uunona swept victory by securing 85 per cent votes during elections in the former German colony.
After winning the seat on the ticket of the ruling SWAPO party – which has ruled Namibia since independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990 – the politician told Bild that he had ‘nothing to do with’ Nazi ideology.
“My father named me after this man. He probably didn’t understand what Adolf Hitler stood for.”
He maintained, “As a child I saw it as a totally normal name. Only as a teenager did I understand that this man wanted to conquer the whole world.”
The politician said his wife calls him Adolf, adding that he usually goes by Adolf Uunona but that it would be ‘too late’ to change his name officially.
“The fact I have this name does not mean I want to conquer Oshana,’ he said, referring to the region where he won the election.
“It doesn’t mean I’m striving for world domination.”
Once known as German South West Africa, Namibia was a German colony from 1,884 until the empire was stripped of its possessions following World War I.
However, Namibia is still home to a small German-speaking community and a number of streets, places and people still bear German names.
