▁were ▁seeking ▁government ▁and ▁naval ▁support , ▁the ▁bro ader ▁social ▁movement ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁colon isation ▁was ▁gain ing ▁ground . ▁The ▁German ▁Col onial ▁Society ▁( “ De utsch er ▁Kol onial verein l ” ) ▁was ▁founded ▁on ▁December ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 8 8 2 , ▁in ▁Frankfurt ▁am ▁Main ▁with ▁Hermann , ▁Prince ▁of ▁H ohen lo he - L angen burg ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁president , ▁and ▁soon ▁had ▁about ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁members . ▁ ▁Imperial ▁Commission er ▁for ▁West ▁Africa ▁ ▁Chan cell or ▁Otto ▁von ▁B ism ar ck ▁asked ▁for ▁views ▁on ▁potential ▁German ▁inter vention ▁in ▁West ▁Africa ▁from ▁the ▁sen ates ▁of ▁Lü beck , ▁Hamburg ▁and ▁Bre men . ▁In ▁response , ▁Wo ermann ▁submitted ▁to ▁the ▁Chan cell or ▁plans ▁for ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁German - West ▁African ▁trade ▁col ony ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 3 , ▁which ▁B ism ar ck ▁initially ▁received ▁with ▁some ▁res erv ations . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 8 3 ▁however ▁the ▁government ▁under to ok ▁to ▁take ▁action ▁to ▁protect ▁German ▁trad ers ▁by ▁sending ▁an ▁Imperial ▁Commission er ▁for ▁West ▁Africa ▁to ▁enter ▁into ▁formal ▁treat ies ▁with ▁local ▁r ul ers . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁B ism ar ck ▁decided ▁to ▁appoint ▁Gustav ▁Nach t ig al ▁as ▁Imperial ▁Commission er . ▁His ▁mission ▁was ▁to ▁sail ▁right ▁down ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁continent , ▁to