Tracing Marks of German Colonialism in the Cities of Berlin and Windhoek
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Globales Lernen in Berlin School Programme Windhoek – Berlin Center for Global Education Tracing marks of German colonialism in the cities of Berlin and Windhoek Material and suggestions for teachers Contents The workshop includes 1 Background information for teachers – a brainstorming session on the subject of 2 Pedagogical suggestions for teachers colonialism in order to identify the students’ level 3 Sources and additional information of knowledge – a PowerPoint presentation (ppt) with aspects of Intention of the material colonial history of Germany and Namibia (availab- This material provides an introduction to German le via download www.epiz-berlin.de) and Namibian colonial history and presents educa- – the development of a city tour related to colonial tional methods which support the understanding of history by the students historical, sociological and political debates as e.g. – a role play presenting the city tour in a »tourist the renaming of streets or the handling of colonial office« monuments. Also it develops links between colonial – a city tour through Berlin’s city centre history and present trade relations between the two countries. Methods The workshop can be conducted in both cities, – Brain storming/mind map Berlin and Windhoek. – Presentation/input – Group work/role play – Guided city tour Imprint Schulprogramm Author Additional didactic Entwicklungspolitisches Bildungs- Windhoek – Berlin | Windhoek – Jasmin Rietdorf material is provided at the und Informationszentrum EPIZ Berlin School Programme Design EPIZ E-Learning-Center Schillerstraße 59, D – 10627 Berlin Dr. Luise Steinwachs Nayeli Zimmermann www.epiz-berlin.de/moodle Tel +49 (0)30 69 59 84 94 [email protected] www.nayelizimmermann.com Fax +49 (0)30 69 26 419 Kornelia Freier Berlin, 2010 www.epiz-berlin.de [email protected] 1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS A history shared or dividing? City tour in Berlin The era of colonialism ended for Germany in 1915, 1 after 30 years. The colonial era plays hardly any role The tour starts at MOHRENSTRASSE. It is a street in the public awareness of history in Germany. and an underground station in the city centre that In Namibia, a culture of commemoration has a long incorporates the racist term »Mohr«. The origin of tradition. The German colonial rule (as well as the the term is the Greek »moros« which means »stu- rule of South Africa) is a record for many Namibians. pid, gawky or godless«. In Latin »maurus« means »black« or »dark«. At any times, the term »Mohr« The city tour has had a derogative racist connotation. The street Berlin as well as Windhoek still bear traces of Ger- was probably named around 1700 after a group of man colonialism since both capital cities were ad- African slaves who were forcibly brought to Berlin ministrative and representative centers of German in the context of Brandenburg’s slave trade. colonial rule. A guided colonialism critical city tour In 1881, Hugo Hoffmann established at Mohrenstr is part of the workshop. It introduces places which No. 10 a chocolaterie where he produced the are related to the colonial past. »Sarotti«-Brand chocolate. The »Sarotti-Mohr« is arguably the most famous advertising character in There are eight streets in Berlin that are still named Germany. It was invented at the end of the First after colonial criminals, such as »Wissmannstraße« World War and lived on until 2004 (appearance in Berlin-Neukölln or »Lüderitzstraße« in the so slightly changed through the years). Due to criti- called African Quarter in Berlin-Wedding. »Moh- cism, that the »Mohr« reproduces racist ideologies, renstraße« incorporates a racist term until the very the character was changed to a »magician« which present. still resembles the former »Mohr«. For further details see www.ber-ev.de/download/BER/ 09-infopool/2007-07-12_dossier-strassennamen_web.pdf, also 2 available at the EPIZ media center. PLAQUE COMMEMOrating THE »CONGO CONFERENCE« 1884 / 85 in Berlin (Wilhelmstr. 92): In Windhoek, one can find a street named after The Congo Conference is also known as »Berlin General Lothar von Trotha. Most prominently the Africa Conference«. Chancelor Otto von Bismarck bronze Equestrian Statue – a mounted horseman and the president of France invited the European of the German »Schutztruppe« – in the center of and overseas powers which held a presence in Africa Windhoek still commemorates Germany’s colonial at this time to take part including Great Britain, power and rule in Namibia. It was inaugurated in Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Russia, Austria, 1912 and is dedicated to the commemoration of Sweden-Norway, the Ottoman Empire, and the USA. the German soldiers and citizens who died during African people were purposely excluded as political the genocide committed on the Herero and Nama subjects: Not a single African participant was invited peoples. to discuss the fate of Africa. The Berlin Africa Conference laid down ground rules for the further partitioning of the continent and the- reby accelerated the so called »scramble for Africa«. The German claims on South-West Africa, the Ca- meroons, Togoland and East Africa were discussed during the Conference. For further reading see »Der Kolonialismus und seine Folgen: 125 Jahre nach der Berliner Afrika-Konferenz«, Inkota-Dossier 5, 2009; available at the EPIZ media center. Partners’ Perspectives Tracing marks of German colonialism EPIZ School Programme Windhoek – Berlin in the cities of Berlin and Windhoek Globales Lernen in Berlin 2 Center for Global Education www.epiz-berlin.de 3 6 PANOPTIKUM (Westin Grand Hotel, Friedrichstraße): StarbUCKS AND EDEKA (city train station Friedrich- The site of Westin Grand Hotel was formerly known straße): Coffee and chocolate are the oldest so- as place where the public enjoyed »dances and called »Kolonialwaren«, »colonial products«. Star- cultural shows« (»Völkerschauen«) of peoples from bucks is the world’s leading coffee shop. Besides all over the world, especially from German colonies. conventional coffee, it offers fair trade products. The Germans were fascinated by the »exotic« and In 1898, Edeka was founded as E.d.K which stands »savage« shows, African women and men had to for »Einkaufsgenossenschaft der Kolonialwaren- perform. In 1896 / 97, two million people visited händler im Halleschen Torbezirk zu Berlin«. the show called »Deutsche Kolonialausstellung« at (»Colonial traders’ purchasing co-operative in Halle- the »Treptower Park«. »Völkerschauen« took place scher Torbezirk at Berlin«). even in the Berlin Zoo, where wild animals were presented to the public. The renowned anthropo- 7 logist Rudolf Virchow heavily supported the idea of GARNISONSFRIEDHOF NEUKÖLLN – Memorial Stone these »shows« as he was using African people as in Honour of the Victims of »objects« for his »research« on »human races«. German Colonial Rule in Na- mibia (2009): The Memorial 4 stone is commemorating THE HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITY (Unter den Linden 6) the victims of German co- was founded in 1810 as »Berliner Universität«. At lonial rule in Namibia from the end of the 19th century the quest for power 1884 – 1915, in particular the and the exploratory urge were immense. Scientist colonial war of 1904 – 1908 – were involved in establishing and controlling co- a war in which the German so-called »Schutztrup- lonies and legitimating the idea of »racism«. The pe« committed unspeakable crimes and genocide physician Eugen Fischer (1874 – 1967) is known against the Herero, the Nama and the Damara. for the development of a »race theory« and his Unfortunately, the inscription does not use the term »research« on objects (skulls and complete heads »genocide« but speaks only about »colonial war« which he demanded from the colonial government (see also www.berlin-postkolonial.de/aktuelle_the- in South-West Africa). From 1927 he taught at the men/Namibia-Gedenkstein.html). In 2009, the me- university; during the Nazi regime he was head of morial stone was put up next to the »Africa stone« the university. The racism of the Nazi regime was of 1907, which commemorates German soldiers based on Fischers’ views and publications which of the »Schutztruppe«, not mentioning any of the were continuously distributed till the 1960ies in African victims. Western Germany. 5 SPLENDID HOTEL (Dorotheenstraße 37): In Mitte, only a few hotel buildings of the 19th century survived World War II. The building of Splendid Hotel was constructed by the architects Gronau & Graul in 1904. Its neo-baroque facade shows busts, titans as well as sculptures of an »African« woman and an »American Indian« with feathered headdress. They symbolise the racist idea of the exotic images of Africans and the »noble savage«. Partners’ Perspectives Tracing marks of German colonialism EPIZ School Programme Windhoek – Berlin in the cities of Berlin and Windhoek Globales Lernen in Berlin 3 Center for Global Education www.epiz-berlin.de City tour in Windhoek longer German subjects. They have murdered and 1 plundered, have cut off the ears, noses and other The tour starts at the EQUESTRIAN StatUE, the parts of the bodies of injured soldiers, and now, »Reiterdenkmal«. The bronze out of cowardice, they want to give up the fight. I statue – a mounted horse- say to the people: anyone who delivers one of their man of the German »Schutz- chiefs as a prisoner to one of my bases, will receive truppe« – was inaugurated one thousand Mark, whoever brings Samuel Maha- in 1912. It is dedicated to rero [Herero chief], will receive five thousand Mark. the commemoration of the But the Herero people must leave this land. If they German soldiers and citizens refuse, so I will force them with the Groot Rohr who died during the colonial [cannon]. Any Herero found within the German war 1904 – 1908. It remained at its original and borders armed or unarmed, with or without cattle, prominent site in the heart of Windhoek, outliving will be shot. I will no longer give shelter to women several changes of government within the Namibi- or children, I will drive them back to their people or an historical context.