The company originated in 1884 as the Gesellschaft für deutsche Kolonisation (Society for German Colonisation) with the aim of trading in Africa.

The company initially continued to operate its many activities, including mines, plantations, railways, banking, minting, etc., before it consented to relinquish them to the German colonial administration and other organizations.

Both its military and that of Germany recruited and impressed thousands of Africans to serve as porters and workers supporting soldiers during the warfare on the continent.

The flag of the German East Africa Company featured a stylised representation of the constellation of the Southern Cross.

Later in the century, a newly unified Germany had to take a part in the exploration and expansion overseas if it were to be among the world's leading imperial powers.

Twenty million people were estimated to have moved to Germany from other countries in the 1900s, and the colonies would be a good place to hold some of the population.

[6] After some time, Peters became interested in colonization, and he then changed his focus in life to become one of the principal founders of the German East Africa Company.

His poor treatment of the indigenous people earned him an end to his otherwise successful career, and because of the extreme negative response, he lost most of his prestige; many streets named after him have since been renamed, and he is neglected by most historians.

Eventually, an uprising of the indigenous people against the German occupation occurred, and Wissmann, with his extensive background in the military, became essential to fight the rebellion.

Soden felt that a school for boys, free of religious influences, would greatly help the German presence in Africa.

Instead of forcing the native people to work or taking over their land, Soden brought a positive to this underdeveloped area to help it grow.

At the time, railroads were necessary to industrial growth, so with the German contributions, the countries of East Africa had a head start industrialising over nearby regions.

With the death of his father, the mother returned to Germany (Silesia), and entered Tom in an academy for young Prussian male aristocrats.

Since the Hehe, under Mquawa, had only attacked and harassed the Germans[citation needed], leading to the loss of Commander Emil von Zelewski and many of his men, Tom Prince was sent far inland to Lake Nyassa, with a civilian representative of the Antislavery Committee, Wynecken.