List of colonial governors of the Marshall Islands

This article lists the colonial governors of the Marshall Islands, from the establishment of the German colonial presence during the 1885 Carolines QuestionHezel, Francis X. (2003) Strangers in Their Own Land: A Century of Colonial Rule in the Caroline and Marshall Islands, University of Hawaii Press, pp. 45–46, . (as part of German New Guinea), through the American capture of the islands during World War II, until the official establishment of the autonomous Government of the Marshall Islands in 1979 (within the American-administered TTPI).

List

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)

TenurePortrait Incumbent NotesKommissar (1885–1886)1885 to 1886Kaiserlicher Kommissare (Imperial commissioners, 1886–1894)1886 to 5 October 18875 October 1887 to 29 March 1889Franz Leopold SonnenscheinActing to 14 April 188829 March 1889 to 14 April 1890Eugen BrandeisFirst time, acting14 April 1890 to February 1892February 1892 to 1893Eugen BrandeisSecond time, acting1893 to 1894Ernst Schmidt-DargitzLandeshauptleute (State captains, 1894–1914)11 May 1894 to March 189824 March 1898 to 18 January 1906Eugen BrandeisActing to 22 February 190018 March 1902 to 1903Waldemar von BunsenActing for Brandeis1903Konrad GeppertActing for Brandeis18 January 1906 to May 1906Ludwig KaiserActing1 April 1906 to 3 October 1914the Governors of German New GuineaBezirksamtleute (District magistrates, 1906–1911)1906 to 30 April 1907Victor Berg1907Joseph SiegwanzActing1908 to November 1909Wilhelm StuckhardtNovember 1909 to 1910Erich BerghausenInterim1910 to 1911Georg MerzStationsleiter (Station chief, 1911–1914)1911 to 3 October 1914Georg MerzDeported by the Japanese on 31 May 1915Commanders of IJN South Seas Squadrons (1914)3 October 1914 to 28 December 1914Yamaya TaninIn occupation of central and eastern Caroline Islands and Marshall Islands7 October 1914 to 28 December 1914Matsumura TatsuoIn occupation of Palau island , western Caroline Islands and northern Mariana Islands Governors (1914–1944)28 December 1914 to 2 February 1944the Governors of the South Seas MandateCommanders of the IJN 6th Fleet Forces Service (1941–1944)15 January 1941 to 1 February 1942Sukeyoshi Yatsushirō5 February 1942 to 29 November 1943Kōsō Abe29 November 1943 to 25 January 1944Monzo AkiyamaKilled in the Battle of KwajaleinUSN Military Governors (1944–1947)February 1944 to 18 July 1947the Commanders Naval Forces MarianasMarshall Islands District Administrators (Distad, 1947–1979)September 1947 to September 1948Chester E. HerrickDecember 1948 to December 1949Edward F. FergusonMarch 1950 to September 1950Roland W. KenneyDecember 1950 to June 1951Frank W. Avila1951 to 1954Donald W. Gilfillan1954 to 1960Maynard Neas1960 to 1961William E. Finale27 May 1961 to 1965Peter Tali Coleman15 October 1965 to 1969Dwight HeineThe first Micronesian to hold the officeDweight Heine, Micronesian leader par excellence Pacific Islands Monthly, January 1985, p241969 to 1970Robert D. Law1970 to 1979Oscar DeBrum

On 1 May 1979, Marshall Islands achieved autonomy within the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI). For a list of heads of state after autonomy, see List of presidents of the Marshall Islands.

See also History of the Marshall Islands Politics of the Marshall Islands Marshall Islands–United States relations Compact of Free Association

References

External links World Statesmen.org: Marshall Islands