Pallottine mission to Kamerun
Encyclopedia
The Pallottine Mission to Kamerun (also spelled Pallotin or Pallotine) was a Roman Catholic
mission
to the German
colony
of Kamerun
run by the Pallottines
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When the German Empire
became the colonial power of Kamerun in 1884, French
Catholic groups were denied permission to set up a mission in the territory. The Germans were not eager to allow Catholics in at all, let alone foreign ones. They relented two years later when the German and Swiss
-run Pallottines requested entry. Permission came with the following conditions: The Pallottines were not to compete directly with the already established Protestant Basel Mission
, they were to accept no orders from any non-German authority, they were to employ only German or African staff, and they were to use and teach only the German language
.
Eight Pallottine Fathers arrived in Douala
on 25 October 1890 under the leadership of Father Heinrich Vieter
. Presbyterian
missionaries already operating there proved unfriendly to the newcomers, so the Pallottines based themselves at Marienberg, near Edéa
. Over the next 13 years, the Fathers opened missions and schools in Kribi
, Edéa, Bonjongo, Douala, Batanga
, Jaunde
, Ikassa, Minlaba, Sasse
, Victoria-Bota, Dschang
, Ossing (Mamfe
), and the Deido township of Douala. In 1899, they founded a convent
in Bonjongo. The Pallottine Fathers won their first convert, Andreas Mbangue, in 1899.
When the Allied West African Campaign
of World War I
reached Jaunde in 1916, the Pallottines fled south to Spanish Guinea
with German forces and Ewondo
villagers under the command of Charles Atangana
. Germany lost the war and Kamerun was split into British
and French
League of Nations mandate
territories. The French opted to allow their own Holy Ghost Fathers
to replace the Pallottines as the Catholic mission to Cameroun.
The German Pallottines have returned to independent Cameroon
in 1964
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
mission
Mission (station)
A religious mission or mission station is a location for missionary work.While primarily a Christian term, the concept of the religious "mission" is also used prominently by the Church of Scientology and their Scientology Missions International....
to the German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
colony
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
of Kamerun
Kamerun
German Cameroon was a West African colony of the German Empire from 1884 to 1916 in the region of today's Republic of Cameroon.-History:-1800s:...
run by the Pallottines
Pallottines
The Society of the Catholic Apostolate , better known as the Pallottines, are a Society of Apostolic Life within the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1835 by the Roman priest Saint Vincent Pallotti. Pallottines are part of the Union of Catholic Apostolate and are present in 45 countries on six...
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
became the colonial power of Kamerun in 1884, French
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
Catholic groups were denied permission to set up a mission in the territory. The Germans were not eager to allow Catholics in at all, let alone foreign ones. They relented two years later when the German and Swiss
Swiss (people)
The Swiss are citizens or natives of Switzerland. The demonym derives from the toponym of Schwyz and has been in widespread use to refer to the Old Swiss Confederacy since the 16th century....
-run Pallottines requested entry. Permission came with the following conditions: The Pallottines were not to compete directly with the already established Protestant Basel Mission
Basel Mission
The Basel Mission is a Christian missionary society active from 1815 to 2001, when it was merged into Mission 21, the successor organization of Kooperation Evangelischer Kirchen und Missione founded in 2001....
, they were to accept no orders from any non-German authority, they were to employ only German or African staff, and they were to use and teach only the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
.
Eight Pallottine Fathers arrived in Douala
Douala
Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Home to Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Airport, it is the commercial capital of the country...
on 25 October 1890 under the leadership of Father Heinrich Vieter
Heinrich Vieter
Heinrich Vieter was a German Pallottine missionary to the German colony of Kamerun. Vieter arrived in Douala with seven other members of the mission on 25 October 1890. Over the next 13 years, Vieter led the Pallottines as they opened missions and schools across the territory...
. Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
missionaries already operating there proved unfriendly to the newcomers, so the Pallottines based themselves at Marienberg, near Edéa
Edéa
Edéa is a city located in the Littoral Province, Cameroon by the Sanaga River and near the railroad line Douala-Yaoundé. It has a population of 122,300 . There are bauxite facilities, aluminium processing facility, steel processing facility, timber facilities, paper facilities and some water...
. Over the next 13 years, the Fathers opened missions and schools in Kribi
Kribi
-Location:The coastal town of Kribi lies on the Gulf of Guinea, in Océan Department, South Province, at the mouth of the Kienké River. This location, lies approximately , by road, south of Douala, the loargest city in Cameroon and the busiest seaport in the country...
, Edéa, Bonjongo, Douala, Batanga
Grand Batanga
Grand Batanga is a coastal village in the South Province of Cameroon. It lies about halfway between the port of Kribi and the Guinea border to the south.- Iron Ore :...
, Jaunde
Yaoundé
-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...
, Ikassa, Minlaba, Sasse
Sasse (musician)
Sasse is the stage name used by Finnish electronic music producer Klas Lindblad. Based out of Berlin, Germany since 1999, Lindblad has also recorded under the monikers Freestyle Man, Cocamoto Exclusivo, Morris Brown, Sassomatic, Thirsty Monk and Winston Fletcher. He was also a member of...
, Victoria-Bota, Dschang
Dschang
Dschang is a city located in the West Province of Cameroon, with an estimated population of 87,000 in 2001, growing dramatically from 21,705 recorded in 1981. The 2006 Population is estimated to be 200,000 inhabitants....
, Ossing (Mamfe
Mamfe
Mamfe is a city and capital of the Manyu department of the Southwest Province in Cameroon. It is located from the border of Nigeria, on the Manyu River. It has a population of 20,300 . It is known as a centre for traditional religion and traditional medicine...
), and the Deido township of Douala. In 1899, they founded a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
in Bonjongo. The Pallottine Fathers won their first convert, Andreas Mbangue, in 1899.
When the Allied West African Campaign
West Africa Campaign (World War I)
The West Africa Campaign of World War I consisted of two small and fairly short military operations to capture the German colonies in West Africa: Togoland and Kamerun.-Overview:...
of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
reached Jaunde in 1916, the Pallottines fled south to Spanish Guinea
Spanish Guinea
Spanish Guinea was an African colony of Spain that became the independent nation of Equatorial Guinea.-History:The Portuguese explorer, Fernão do Pó, seeking a route to India, is credited with having discovered the island of Bioko in 1472. He called it Formosa , but it quickly took on the name of...
with German forces and Ewondo
Beti-Pahuin
The Beti-Pahuin are a group of related peoples who inhabit the rain forest regions of Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Though they separate themselves into several individual ethnic groups, they all share a common history and culture. They were...
villagers under the command of Charles Atangana
Charles Atangana
Charles Atangana , also known by his birth name, Ntsama, and his German name, Karl, was the paramount chief of the Ewondo and Bane ethnic groups during much of the colonial period in Cameroon...
. Germany lost the war and Kamerun was split into British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and French
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
League of Nations mandate
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
territories. The French opted to allow their own Holy Ghost Fathers
Holy Ghost Fathers
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, lay brothers, and since Vatican II, lay associates...
to replace the Pallottines as the Catholic mission to Cameroun.
The German Pallottines have returned to independent Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
in 1964