Carol Aisah Blackshire-Belay, ed.. The African-German Experience, Critical Essays. Westport and London: Praeger, 1996. xiii + 136 pp. $52.95, cloth, ISBN 978-0-275-95079-8.

Reviewed by Daniel J. Walther

Published on H-Africa (August, 1997)

Usually when discussions arise about the fu‐ by their fellow German citizens because of their ture of Germany since the fall of the Berlin Wall skin color. and unifcation, they include debates about the It is precisely the objective of Carol Aisah cost of unifcation, the apparent diferences be‐ Blackshire-Belay's edited volume to illuminate the tween East and West Germans (along with calls plight of this community as it attempts to fnd its from both sides to raise the Wall again), and the place and identity in the New Germany. Heavily rise of German nationalism. Without a doubt, infuenced and inspired by the ground breaking many focus on what is Germany now and what it work, Showing Our Colors: Afro-German Women will be as well as what it means to be German and Speak Out, published originally in German in who is German. These conversations, especially 1986,[1] the contributors aim "to analyze the way those that take place in Germany, more often than African Germans have presented themselves and not make certain assumptions about who and the way others have viewed them" (p. ix). In doing what Germany is. so, they address issues of "identity, ethnicity, and Unfortunately, such discussions fail to recog‐ self-perception found in the African-German com‐ nize that Germany and Germans are not from a munity" (p. ix). single "nationality" and general look the same. In‐ They approach this by looking at the various deed, this is far from the truth. In fact, despite of‐ ways members of this community, either individ‐ fcial political statements to the contrary, Ger‐ ually or collectively, have sought to express them‐ many is a multinational, multiethnic country. This selves and the ways their white compatriots have is most readily apparent in the existence of the seen them through self-refection, their relation‐ African-German community, a collection of indi‐ ships to each other, in the popular media, the sim‐ viduals who feel German inwardly in many re‐ ilarities and diferences to the African-American spects but outwardly are not quite often accepted experience, and the efects and signifcance of his‐ tory. Thus, they endeavor to answer the following H-Net Reviews questions: "(1) Precisely to what and whom are This cultural dislocation, Asante continues, is fur‐ we referring when we talk about African Ger‐ ther exacerbated by the fact that "because they do mans or black Germans? (2) Is this group any dif‐ not know their African roots, they may feel Ger‐ ferent from other African-descended people man" (p. 5). Thus, they are rejected by one aspect throughout the world living in predominantly of their double consciousness and are unfamiliar white societies?" (p. x). with the other. Asante nevertheless ofers a solu‐ Therefore, they not only discuss the African- tion by asserting that the African Germans have German experience using the voices of the to "become connected, attached, and situated in African Germans themselves, but they also at‐ the historical place of the African people by a con‐ tempt to situate it in "the struggle of all blacks in scious commitment to the discovery of self in ev‐ the diaspora in general" (p. ix). Ultimately, this ery dimension" (p. 10). book challenges the assumption held by German Marilyn Sephocle, in her essay "Black Ger‐ politicians and other members of the German mans and Their Compatriots," similarly examines comity that their nation is not a multiethnic one. the position of African Germans through her in‐ The frst essay, Molef Kete Asante's "African vestigation of German institutions and other Ger‐ Germans and the Problems of Cultural Location," mans view them from the perspective of contextualizes the African Germans within Ger‐ the"objects" and history. More importantly, she man society by exploring the problems encoun‐ picks up where Asante left of when she looks at tered by African Germans in "cultural location" the initiatives and goals pursued by African Ger‐ because of the racist construction of identity and mans in search of their own identity and place nationality in Germany. Asante states that "one is within a "hostile" or "unwelcoming" German soci‐ culturally located at all times and the idea that we ety. In fact, this becomes the primary focus of the can be culturally dislocated, a possibility emerg‐ piece since her historical overview is primarily ing from being on the fringes of a strong core cul‐ superfcial. This may be because such historical ture, helps us to defne the meaning of cultural lo‐ surveys are explored elsewhere in greater detail. cation in the case of the African German" (p. 1). Specifcally, she examines two organizations, Asante argues that this is a result of the Ger‐ namely the Black German Initiative [Initiative man conceptualization of race and nation. In Ger‐ Schwarze Deutsche (ISD)] and the IAF, Intressen‐ many, culture and nationality are merely expres‐ gemeinschaft der mit Auslaendern verheirateten sions of race (pp.7-9). Because the dominant cul‐ Frauen [The community of interests of women ture in Germany is white, the African Germans who are married to foreigners]. While the IAF is a are "forced to live their lives on someone else's political organization with a broader mission terms than their own" (p.5). In other words, to be than the ISD, the Initiative Schwarze Deutsche is considered German, "one had to be German, not the foundation of the African-German movement German and African, or German and Chinese, but which was founded in 1986 by thirty African Ger‐ German and German" (p. 5). The upshot of this is mans who realized the similarity of their situation that despite the fact that they are German citizens (p. 15). This realization brought about a incipient and carry German passports, they are not consid‐ recognition of who they were individually and as ered "truly German because they do not have a community within the context of a New Ger‐ pure German ancestry" (p. 5). many where they still face many problems. Their skin color is, therefore, a statement of Sephocle's states that these African Germans the "impurity" of their ancestry and thus other were emboldened by contact with Audre Lourde, Germans perceive of them as foreigners (p. 9). an African-American poet, to feel more positively

2 H-Net Reviews about themselves and "empowered with a new African Germans, however within in the realm of sense of mission" (p. 16). They began to see them‐ popular culture, namely in flm and television selves as a "potential challenge for the rest of Ger‐ since the early days of the Federal Republic in or‐ many, the challenge of rethinking German identi‐ der to reveal "the function of culture as a histori‐ ty in a less ethnocentric way" (pp. 16-17). The ISD cal construct" (p. 29). Specifcally, she contrasts is not a political organization, though, but rather a the trend between 1952 and 1991. She focuses pri‐ cultural one which "stresses the specifcity of the marily on the 1952 flm Toxi, "the story of the fve- African-German identity. In addition it has a so‐ year-old daughter of a black American soldier and cial and psychological mission vis-a-vis its mem‐ a light-skinned German mother" (p. 29), and Cher‐ bers and the rest of German society." (p. 17) no Jobatey, the African-German anchor of a popu‐ Sephocle concludes that this organization still lar early morning news show in Germany since has much to do, for through personal accounts 1991. and a quick historical overview she illustrates While she starts of strong with a detailed the‐ that "to some, having an African-German identity oretical foundation and provides a good overview is not an issue, it is an impossibility; to others it is of the German public's response (including from an incompatibility; and to a small minority it is a the African-German community) to various black fragment of a multicultural and multiracial soci‐ German entertainers, her ultimate contention, ety (p. 26). In Sephocle's view, though, this latter namely that "ethnic and national identity are not group is not even dependable in making Germany always connected" (p. 29) remains underdevel‐ a hospitable place for African German and other oped. In fact, the lack of a more thorough critical ethnic groups (p. 26). She ends by stating that "for analysis and follow-up is the major detraction the three hundred forty thousand African Ger‐ from an otherwise interesting subject matter. mans living in Germany today, certain walls--un‐ Meanwhile, Leroy Hopkins and Tina Campt like the Berlin Wall--certain walls remain hardly continue to investigate what it means to be an movable." African German by situating them in the larger While I agree with Sephocle's last statement, I context of the African diaspora, building upon believe her previous comment does not give Sephocle's reference to African-American infu‐ enough credit to the initiatives of the new "Multi- ences . Both compare and contrast the African- Kulti" movement sweeping through Germany in German and American experiences. response to violent attacks against foreigners. Ad‐ Specifcally, Hopkins in "Inventing Self: Paral‐ mittedly, though, these individuals tend to advo‐ lels in the African-German and African-American cate friendship and acceptance vis-a-vis foreign‐ Experience" examines "the problem of identity in ers, while not addressing specifcally that there the [African] diaspora ... from the comparative might actually be non-white skinned German citi‐ perspective of its American and German perspec‐ zens. Without a doubt, however, her argument tives" (p. 37). In both instances, he points out that that Germany must still come to grips with the ex‐ literacy is a primary "prerequisite for the appear‐ istence of the African-German community and the ance of ... [an] emerging group consciousness" (p. importance of this group fnding and exerting its 38). Thus, the means to refect and to record as own identity remains a central issue to the evolu‐ well as to disseminate and share their experi‐ tion of a new German notion of nationality. ences is pivotal in the formation of identity. Francine Jobatey, in "From Toxi to T.V.: Multi‐ It was from contact with African-American culturalism and the Changing Images of Black women writers that moved African-German wom‐ Germans," further explores the imaging of en in the 1980s to "document their common expe‐

3 H-Net Reviews rience" and even "name themselves 'Afro-Ger‐ In explaining himself, the interviewee makes mans'" (p. 40). Most notable are Showing Our Col‐ several references to the African-American expe‐ ors and Gisela Fremgen's 1984 publication ...und rience to explain his own situation because he be‐ wenn du dazu schwarz bist. Berichte schwarzer lieves that the interviewer, an African-American Frauen in der Bundesrepublik [And when you are woman, will be better able to understand him. also black. Personal Narratives of Black Women What these "intercultural addresses" do reveal in the Federal Republic]. Hopkins asserts that are in fact the similarities and diferences in their "these...narratives are...attempts to create a new experiences. According to Campt, "Peter K.'s si‐ discourse, to establish a voice of their own" (p. multaneous assertion of diference, as well as sim‐ 42). Imperative to this, according to Hopkins, was ilarity in his narrative establishes a form of dia‐ to search for an "identity within the context of logue with me and the African-American context German history" (p. 42). He argues that this that recognizes our commonalities of his own dis‐ "search for a voice, for a separate and distinct tinct cultural standpoint" (p. 83). identity, is a characteristic shared by Afro-Ger‐ In other words, this dialogue enabled her to mans and African Americans" (p. 42). not only see the commonalities, but also recognize Like Asante, Hopkins contends that the key to the dissimilarities as well. In a broader context, this search is "the phenomenon of Africa and the Campt argues that this "phenomenon encourages African heritage." Otherwise, neither group can us [African Americans] to refect critically on the come to grips with its biculturality (p. 42). It is this status of our own cultural context among black common experience which unites both groups as populations outside the United States who are in‐ well as other communities of the African diaspo‐ volved [in] the process of articulating their own ra. He argues that through more recent publica‐ experiences and constructing alternative forms of tions, especially the magazine Uncle Tom's Fist identity and community" (p. 83). [Onkel Tom's Faust], the African-Germans have The last two essays, Susann Samples' "African demonstrated a "commitment to multiculturalism Germans in the Third Reich" and Blackshire-Be‐ and an aware of the global context of the African lay's "Historical Revelations: The International experience which position them to both contrib‐ Scope of African Germans Today and Beyond," ute to and learn from the African-American strug‐ both explore the importance of history in the con‐ gle for identity" (p. 49). struction of identity. In "African German/African American -- Dia‐ Samples looks specifcally at the "extraordi‐ logue or Dialectic? Refections on the Dynamics of nary circumstances surrounding the African Ger‐ 'Intercultural Address,'" Tina Campt takes a difer‐ mans during the Third Reich" (p. 53). She con‐ ent approach by exploring not only the similari‐ tends that although their black skin especially sin‐ ties but also the diferences of the African-Ameri‐ gled them out in the racial state Hitler was creat‐ can and African-German experiences. She does ing, their blackness may have at times "protected" this through an interview with Peter K., one of the them. She attributes this, in part, to the "myth of so-called Rhineland "bastards."[2] For Campt, the blackness, which tended to view blacks as exotic interview with Peter K. is intriguing for none of inferiors" (p. 55). Of course, they did face discrimi‐ the accounts of these children "give any details or nation and some even sterilization, but they nev‐ follow-up information on their later lives" (p. 74). ertheless did not sufer the same fate as the Jews However, far more interesting for her is the "dis‐ and other "undesirables," according to Samples. cursive dynamic that develops between the two of Relying heavily on oral interviews as well as us in the interview" (p. 72). printed primary and secondary sources, she re‐

4 H-Net Reviews veals that the racial "policy of the Third Reich was In conversations with student members of not always monolithic, but often contradictory (p. ISD, she pointed out that because of "the uneasy 57). Samples claims this was partly due to the relationship that has developed over time be‐ "real specter of world condemnation" (p. 56) as tween the white German and black German popu‐ well as the need the for blacks in propaganda lation" (p. 115) students and the government do flms. not take them seriously. In fact, she states that the The fact that her interviewees and others sur‐ German government and authorities perceive vived testifes to the inconsistency in Nazi race African Germans "as non-existent and politically policy, but Samples' analysis is not wholly con‐ irrelevant" (p. 116). In addition, confusion exists vincing. For example, she asserts that "with the among African Germans about their cultural iden‐ exception of the Jews, the issue of race was now tity, especially because of their treatment by their virtually ignored" with the advent of World War II white fellow citizens and their unfamiliarity with (p. 61). However, scholarly research shows that their African heritage (pp. 117-80). this is not true.[3] Perhaps some people slipped Similar to Hopkins and Sephocle, she de‐ through, but the biological racism practiced by scribes ways they have tried to discover and as‐ the Nazis went beyond the Jews, even if they were sert their own identity and come to grips with a primary target. Although her explanation is not their "double-consciousness" as both Germans wholly convincing, her examples do shed more and Africans (p. 118). One such way is to come to‐ light on the nature of the Third Reich, especially gether in order "to discuss their experiences and as it functioned on a day-to-day basis. to form solidarity and coalitions among them‐ Carol Aisha Blackshire-Belay's approach to selves ..." (p. 115), such as in the ISD. Blackshire- the African-German presence is more comprehen‐ Belay notes that African Germans' awareness of sive. Such an approach allows her to explain the African and Africanness has increased over the relationship between black and white Germans, years, but argues that "the time has come for the to dispel misconceptions that this relationship African-German community to see itself as a com‐ only began during the colonial era, and to situate munity belonging to the African-Diaspora..." (p. it in the larger context of the African diaspora. 120). She concludes that by heritage all members She begins in Antiquity and brings us up to the of the African Diaspora are connected and this present. By doing this, she challenges the assump‐ "connectedness ofers us strength that we can tion made by "politicians, historians, Germanist draw from..." (p. 120). She sees this as an essential scholars, and the average citizen" that Germany is ingredient in the creation of the New Germany (p. a homogeneous society and forces them "to see it 121). as the ethnically, culturally, and linguistically di‐ The only real criticism I have of Blackshire- verse society that it has actually become" (p. 89). Belay's essay is her statement about the legal sta‐ According to Blackshire-Belay, the historical tus of marriages between whites and Africans. approach allows us to better understand "the She states that "[i]n 1907 in German South-west dilemma confronting African Germans within Africa and in Cameroon, marriages between German society today and the attitudes of white African and Germans that occurred before the Germans towards this population group ..." (p. 90). passing of these [anti-miscegenation] laws were It also contributes to their developing sense of legally recognized" (p. 109). However, the con‐ identity; Blackshire-Belay noted that several dif‐ verse is actually true. In 1907 the High Court in culties confront African Germans as a result of Windhoek "declared that marriages which had historical development.

5 H-Net Reviews been contracted with Africans before the ban bigen deutschen Minderheit, 1918-1937 (Dussel‐ [1905] to be null and void."[4] dorf: Droste Verlag, 1979). Nonetheless, Blackshire-Belay's exploration of [3]. See for example, Michael Burleigh and the past and discussions with those now living, as Wolfgang Wippermann, The Racial State: Ger‐ well as the other essays contained in the book, many 1933-1945 (Cambridge: Cambridge Universi‐ will contribute to the awakening of an awareness ty Press, 1991), especially pp. 113-97, a book Sam‐ among concerned individuals and the creation of ples even cites. See also, Detlev Peukert's "The an identity among the African-German communi‐ Genesis of the Final Solution' from the Spirit of ty that will hopefully have a signifcant and pro‐ Science," in Reevaluating the Third Reich, ed. found efect upon the evolution of German society Thomas Childers and Jane Caplan (New York: after unifcation. This awareness, this sense of self Holmes and Meier, 1993), 234-252, who esplores comes from understanding the past, drawing the origins the National Socialist idea of "purify‐ from similar experiences, noting the diferences, ing" the national "body," i.e. the development of and comprehending the present. Nazi notions of race from notions of social wel‐ A new chapter in German history is unfolding fare which allowed it to consider "undesirable" largely as a result of these contributors who con‐ anyone who opposed the state or exhibited aso‐ tribute signifcantly to our understanding of the cial behavior in addition to certain select groups, African-German population and the struggles they sucha as the Jews. face and the issues Germany will eventually have [4]. Helmut Bley, South-West Africa under to confront as well as of the role of nationality, German Rule 1894-1914, trans., ed. and prepared ethnicity and culture. It is satisfying and refresh‐ by Hugh Ridley (Evanston: Northwestern Univer‐ ing to see the impact one book can have (namely sity Press, 1971), 212. Show Our Colors) and the response and level of Copyright (c) 1997 by H Net, all rights re‐ interest and scholarship individuals--dedicated to served. This work may be copied for non proft revealing the truth--generated in this volume. educational use if proper credit is given to the au‐ However, as many of the authors noted, much re‐ thor and the list. For other permission, please con‐ search still needs to be done on the African-Ger‐ tact [email protected]. man community. Notes: [1]. Katharina Oguntoye, May Opitz, and Dag‐ mar Schultz, eds., Farbe Bekennen. Afro-deutsche Frauen auf die Spuren ihrer Geschichte (Frank‐ furt: Fischer, 1986). Published in English as Show‐ ing Our Colors: Afro-German Women Speak Out. Translated by Anne V. Adams (Amherst: Universi‐ ty of Massachusetts Press, 1991). [2]. These were the children of French African occupation troops and German women in the Saar region after the First World War. For a de‐ tailed account of their treatment under National Socialism, see Reiner Pommerin's _Sterilisierung der Rheinlandsbastarde: Das Schicksal einer far‐

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Citation: Daniel J. Walther. Review of Blackshire-Belay, Carol Aisah, ed. The African-German Experience, Critical Essays. H-Africa, H-Net Reviews. August, 1997.

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