Nauru History: German Era

1886 - The Pleasant Island was granted to German under the Anglo-German Convention. The old name of pleasant island was scrapped while names of Nawodo or Onawero were used under the German rule.

1888 - The Island was annexed by Germany for nearly three decades and incorporated into Germany's Marshall Islands Protectorate. This resulted in the formal end of the civil war between clans. Turning the war established king as the ruler of the Island. Alcohol and arms were banned. In the same year Christian Missionaries started arriving in the island.

1890 - Robert Rasch, a German trader married to a local Nauran lady was appointed as the first administrator of Nauru.

1900 - British company discovers phosphate on the island under the supervision of prospector Albert Ellis.

1906 - Phosphate mining begins. The Pacific Phosphate Company started to exploit the reserves by agreement with Germany. Britain divides profits with German firm.

1907 - The first shipment of phosphate was exported.