Mapping Germany's Colonial Discourse: Fantasy, Reality
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ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation: MAPPING GERMANY’S COLONIAL DISCOURSE: FANTASY, REALITY, AND DILEMMA Uche Onyedi Okafor, Doctor of Philosophy, 2013. Dissertation directed by: Professor Elke P. Frederiksen Department of Germanic Studies School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures This project engages Germany’s colonial discourse from the 18th century to the acquisition of colonies in East Africa during the period of European imperialism. Germany’s colonial discourse started with periphery travels and studies in the 18th century. The writings of German scholars and authors about periphery space and peoples provoked a strong desire to experience the exotic periphery among Germans, particularly the literate bourgeoisie. From a spectatorial and critical positioning vis-à-vis the colonial activities of other Europeans, Germans developed a projected affinity with the oppressed peoples of the periphery. Out of the identificatory positioning with the periphery peoples emerged the fantasy of “model/humane” colonialism (Susanne Zantop). However, studies in Germany’s colonial enterprise reveal a predominance of brutality and inhumanity right from its inception in 1884. The conflictual relationship between the fantasy of “model/humane” colonialism and the reality of brutality and inhumanity, as studies reveal, causes one to wonder what happened along the way. This is the fundamental question this project deals with. Chapter one establishes the validity of the theoretical and methodological approaches used in this project – Cultural Studies, New Historicism and Postcolonialism. Chapter two is a review of secondary literatures on Germany’s colonial enterprise in general, and in Africa in particular. Chapter three focuses on the emergence of the fantasy of “model/humane” colonialism as discussed in Johann Reinhold Forster’s Observations made during a Voyage round the World, 1778, and its demonstration in Joachim Heinrich Campe’s Robinson der Jüngere, 1789. Section one of chapter four discusses the constellations which provided the impetus for colony acquisition (Friedrich Fabri’s Bedard Deutschland der Colonien?, 1879), and the activities of Carl Peters, the founder of German East Africa as depicted in Balder Olden’s Ich bin Ich. Der Roman Carl Peters, 1927. Section two examines German colonists’ efforts to consolidate Germany’s hold on the colonial property (Frieda von Bülow’s Der Konsul. Vaterländischer Roman aus unseren Tagen, 1891, and Im Lande der Verheißung: Ein deutscher Kolonialroman, 1899). Chapter five discusses the concept of dilemma in the conflictual relationship between the fantasy of “model/humane” colonialism and the reality of colonialism. Chapter six summarizes the findings of the project. MAPPING GERMANY’S COLONIAL DISCOURSE: FANTASY, REALITY, AND DILEMMA BY UCHE ONYEDI OKAFOR A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY 2013 Advisory Committee: Professor Elke Frederiksen, Chair Professor Guenter Pfister Professor Peter Beicken Professor Rose-Marie Oster Professor Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak ©Copyright by Uche Onyedi Okafor 2013 ii Dedication This Dissertation is dedicated to the following: Mrs. ANIEFIOK NENE EUDOXIE-OKAFOR – my Queen Prince FORTUNE IHUOMA MFONOBONG EUDOXIE-OKAFOR – my Son Princess FAVOR IHEOMA UYAYI-ABASI EUDOXIE-OKAFOR – my Daughter Prince FLOURISH IHENNA UTIBE-ABASI EUDOXIE-OKAFOR – my Son These are the people who paid the real price for this Ph.D. degree, and to them it belongs. iii Acknowledgement As the saying goes, “no man is an island to himself,” and as an Ibo adage goes, “onye ji akanya we nie onwe ya, ofu aka ya aghaghi iputa n’enu ini” (he who buries himself will definitely have one hand sticking out from the grave). I would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their contributions towards making this degree come true: first and foremost, Professor Elke Frederiksen, who directed this project. Her guidance, insistence, patience, and belief provided the foundation upon which this project was started and completed. Prof. Guenter Pfister, whose encouraging remark “Hang in there, Son,” when the going was tough, kept reassuring me that someone cares. The Department of Germanic Studies, which saw something in me worth investing their resources in. The Office of Multi-Ethnic Students Education, which gave me the Graduate Assistantship that carried me to candidacy. SHUTTLE-UM, which, apart from offering me the job that took me to the finish line, became my family in all circumstances. Mr. and Mrs. Vincent/Angelina Chukwuocha, who gave me their signature at a critical stage of my program to secure the student loan that rescued the program. May God almighty reward their labor of love multiple folds! Dr. and Mr. Femi Akinrinade, whose initial efforts brought me to the States in the first place, and who continued to stand by me in the thick and thin of it all. Bros., you people made the Ibo saying “Nwanne di na mba” (there is always a brother in the land of sojourn) a reality in my life. iv The following people deserve a very special mention – Ose Ojeahere, Christina Grant and Neda Todorov. These are friends, who God brought into my life when I needed people to lean on. They never had a “no” response for me whenever I needed them. An extra appreciation for Neda Todorov, who did the proofreading for this project. Mr. and Mrs. Akintoye, and Professor Sola Akinrinade. My siblings Dr. Chinwe J. Okafor, Mr. Chukwudi C. Okafor, and Mrs. Rose-Gillian Iwunze for their encouraging words and support to my family in my absence. Dr. George and Mrs. Onyinyechi Udeh. Many people contributed in various ways to my successful completion of this program – Mr./Mrs. (Gloria) Ugochukwu, Chinyere Ugochukwu Ukaegbu, Dr. Jennifer Jackson, Amaka Joan Egemonu, Oluchukwu Jacinta Ndubuisi, Mike Okoro, Chisara Alimole, Uchenna Kaji Nwoko, Genevive Ibeh, David Anyaoha, Chukwuma Okereke, Jude Ogu, Chidimma Iwuji, Mr./Mrs. Silas Obasi, Mr./Mrs. David Anyaoha. I want to thank all these people, and all others who are not mentioned here, for their part in my achieving this milestone. v vi Table of Contents Introduction and Background to the Study………………………………………………1 Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………..8 Purpose of the Project..…………………………………………………………12 Scope of the Project...…………………………………………………………..12 Justification for the Texts……………………………………………………….14 Chapter I. Theoretical Approach and Methodology………………………………..17 Cultural Studies………………………………………………………………....17 New Historicism…………………………………………………………….…..27 Postcolonialism………………………………………………………………….39 Chapter II. The Review of Secondary Literature: Germany’s Colonial Enterprise in Postcolonialism Discourse……………………………......51 An Overview……………………………………………………………..……..51 Generating the “Model Colonizer” Mentality…………………………….…….69 Chapter III. German Intellectualism and the Fantasy of “Humane/Model” Colonialism……………………………………………………………..76 Section i. Conceptualizing “Humane/Model” Colonialism (Johann Reinhold Forster’s Observations made during a Voyage round the World, 1778)....……………………………..………………..78 Advocacy for Colonization…………………………………….…….…79 Reinhold Forster’s Humane Considerations…….…………………..….85 Presenting Germans as better colonizers…………………………....….89 German Intellectualism and Instrumentalization for Colonialism….…103 vii Section ii. Demonstrating “Human/Model” Colonialism in Fiction (Joachim Heinrich Campe’s Robinson, 1779)………………….…….109 Configuration of the German “Model/Humane” Colonist……………112 Germans in Search of Virgin Territories………………………….…..120 “Humane/Model” Colonialism in Practice……………………………136 Chapter IV. Germany and Colonial Reality: Agitation, Acquisition and Consolidation………………………………………………………....141 Section i. Agitation for and Acquisition of Colonies (Friedrich Fabri’s Bedarf Deutschland der Colonien?, 1879; Balder Oldens Ich bin Ich, 1927)................................................................................142 Domestic Circumstances Fabri’s (Bedarf Deutschland der Colonien?1879)…...............................................................................146 Pioneering Activities in the East African Periphery (Balder Olden’s Ich bin Ich, 1927)………………....……….……..…166 The Emergence of the Pioneer German Colonist...….……………….168 Peters the Pioneer German Colonist...…………….……….…………174 Berlin and Peters’ Pioneer Endeavors……………….…….…….……185 Section ii. Consolidating the Colonies (Frieda von Bülow’s Der Konsul, 1891; Verheißung, 1899).................................................199 Awakening “Germanness” (Frieda von Bülow’s Der Konsul, 1891....204 Berlin and Konsul von Sylffa’s Program………………………….…..216 Women and German Colonialism (Frieda von Bülow’s Verheißung, 1899)…………………….……………………………….222 Summary……………………………………………………….……...271 Chapter V. Germany’s Colonial Enterprise: The Dilemma…………………….…274 The Enlightenment in Germany’s Colonialism Discourse..……………….…275 The Dilemma of “Humane/Model” Colonialism………………………….….279 The Gender Dilemma…………………………………………………………296 The Involvement Dilemma…………………………………………….…..…307 viii The Power Dilemma……………………………………………………….....314 The Erasure Dilemma………………………………………………………...322 Summary ………………………………………………………………….….349 Chapter VI. Conclusion……………………………….……………….…………..351 Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………..371 Bibliography………………………………………………………………….373 1 Introduction and Background to the Project Although much has been written about the European colonization of the rest of