Fifteen men are shot in Kolonia (MicSem and Habele say 17 executed, unsupported by German sources).
What happened
The sentences were carried out the day after the trial, and the men, including the leader Jomatau (Samuel), were buried together in Kolonia. German records give 15 executed. MicSem and Habele say 17; Morlang’s count of 17 sentenced, two of whom were not executed, may explain the difference.
Why it matters
After independence the FSM made Samuel a national hero; 24 February is a national holiday and the mass grave in Kolonia is a national shrine.
Who’s who
- Soumadau en SokehsLeader of the 1910–11 Sokehs Rebellion against German rule; German files spell him Jomatau, and he was baptized Samuel. Executed in Kolonia on 24 February 1911.