Johanna Gertze, stamp.
Uerita Johanna Gertze, a member of the Hahn household, domestic servant and interpreter, fluent in Herero, English, German, Nama and Cape Dutch, is likely to have played a major role in this work, though she is still not co-credited with these achievements.
Johanna Gertze
Uerita Johanna Kazahendike Gertze joined the Hahn household in Otjikango in 1848/9 when she was about 11 years old and moved with them to
Otjimbingwe, in 1855. She travelled extensively with the Hahns, to and from the Cape and also to Germany. She was indispensible to Hugo for the work she did with him on his linguistic projects. Johanna eventually returned to Otjimbingwe in 1862 where she married Samuel Gertze. She worked from the mid 1890s as a mid-wife, helping both white and black women to give birth. She was also a pharmacist. She died in Otjimbingwe in 1936 at the age of 99.
