Mondaugen tells this story to Stencil at the Rusty Spoon
and Stencil later repeats it to Eigenvalue.
Mondaugen is sent to Sudwest Protectorate in May of 1922 to
observe atmospheric radio disturbances (sferics) as close as possible
to 28 degrees S latitude. The Herero Uprising of 1922 occurs
while Mondaugen is in Sudwest and he is forced to stay for several
weeks at "Foppl's Siege Party".
Foppl is a plantation owner who was present during the Great Herero Uprising of 1904-1907 along with Lt. Weissmann, and they
attempt to make the Siege Party into a recreation of that era.
Mondaugen eventually leaves Foppl's, and later works at
Peenemunde on the German V-1 and V-2 rockets (where he is
reunited with Weissmann, and which is detailed in Gravity's
Rainbow). Eventually, Mondaugen becomes an engineer working
for Yoyodyne.
Captain Hugh Godolphin, who is present at Foppl's Siege Party, also appears in Florence: She Hangs on the Western Wall.
In addition to Weissmann and Mondaugen, the Herero also play a significant role in Gravity's Rainbow and a depction of the Herero Uprisings and the von Trotha regime, from the Herero point-of-view, is given there by Oberst Enzian.