Georgia Institute of Technology
Master Research
Written By: Kestra James
Supervised by: Dr. Britta Kallin, Dr. Susana Morris
Published: September 25, 2020
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Afro-German community has been present and contributing to German society as early as the 17th century. Although initially brought in a slaves and servants, the Afro-German population gained citizenship and access to education, elevating their social status in society. As Germany was introduced to African people and culture, a stereotypical and racist ideology formed causing the treatment and understanding of blacks to be affected. Misinterpretations of African culture and negative, racist images of blacks became widespread and helped to simultaneously reinforce previous stereotypes and provide new ones supportive of the existing ideology.
Due to racial imagery and characterizations of African culture materialized by German explorers and spread through German society, as well as the narrative of white Christian supremacy in German culture before and during National Socialism, the contemporary Afro-German community fights to re-claim their identity and the perceptions associated with them. The marginalization of this community has aided in strengthening the image of an all-white German identity. To fight against these images, many Afro-German organizations and initiatives, artists, and writers have successfully used their medium, such as art exhibits, websites, books, short films, and documentaries, to provide more positive images of Afro-German people and culture. Although pieces of Afro-German literature exist today that work to help re-define and re-construct the perception of an Afro-German identity through a portrayal of their own experiences interacting with white German society, there is a lack of representations of the Afro-Germans establishing a sense of community amongst themselves. Most accounts made by Afro-Germans focus on interactions with the white German population, and therefore only emphasizes one aspect of community building for Afro-German people (Hügel-Marshall).
My podcast series, called Home Grown, highlights how the Afro-German community interacts with one another, whether through social media, colloquialisms, body language, or other means. By emphasizing cultural features and exploring what “heimat” or home means to the Afro-German community, the understanding of a German identity is re-defined. The podcast features personal interviews with Afro-Germans in various states of Germany, providing insights on the practices used by Afro-Germans to connect with each other and create their own sense of community. During the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, maintaining a sense of community becomes more difficult as social distancing and “stay at home” orders are put into place. The methods used to connect with one another shift, and this series highlights these changes.
A History of Afro-Germans in German Society
Afro-Germans have been present in Germany since before the 1700’s, during the first German/Prussian colonization of Africa. Africans were first brought to Germany as house servants, but with the support of socialites in Germany, Africans, such as Anton Wilhelm Amo, were able to contribute to the academic community, attend universities, and gain citizenship. Although granted citizenship, Germany’s vision of a national identity remained white-washed. The second German colonization of Africa in the 1800’s, however, helped to change the narrative and bring in new aspects of German identity. The German colonies, such as Namibia, Cameroon, Rwanda, Tanzania, West Africa and Togo, helped to facilitate connections between African and Germans, and to procreate a population of Afro-Germans. Despite this connection, Germany exploited the Africans they colonized, including having them on display along-side zoo animals. This display of African peoples and animals is known as the Völkerschau and undoubtedly helped to strengthen animal connotations of African peoples. During the late 19th century, Carl Hagenbeck planned to establish a permanent zoo in Berlin, and many other locations as part of his Völkerschau, for animal and humans, and the idea was enthusiastically embraced by the German people. Hagenbeck intended for the zoo to represent a celebration of German colonialism and the “exotic” peoples he interacted with and brought back (Dreesbach, 5). Other German explorers who visited these colonies created their own depictions of Africa and returned these ideas to Germany. These images were supported by German society through consumer goods, films, and other products that depicted blacks and influenced the perception of their identity.
The book, Deutschland Schwarz Weiss, by Noah Sow, provides examples of everyday racism within Germany society and the media consumed by the citizens. Sow analyzes the story Tim im Kongo from the series Tim und Struppi, more commonly known in the United States as The Adventures of TinTin, which was consumed by both children and adults and is described in a positive light, with high regards to the comedy and characterizations used in the series, as well as the artistry of the drawings (Sow, 181-82). The story line shows Tim exiting a hut in the morning as he sees two Africans fighting with one another. He learns that they’re fighting over a stolen straw hat, so he decides to make them both straw hats. The Africans seem pleased with this option and move on with their day. Tim enters another hut to discover the true thief and he punches him with the encouragement of his dog to remain firm.
However, as Sow mentions, descriptions of the comic strip fail to recognize the racist depictions of the black people and minimize colonial racism. The power dynamic created between the white and black character here is most heavily represented at the end, when Tim feels compelled to attack the man assumed to have stolen the straw hat. Tim’s response of violence against the man promotes the idea of a white savior, since he might be a thief, as well as white supremacy. Tim feels confident in his belief that the straw hat worn by this African was the stolen one and reacts with violence against him, serving justice to the thief. The depiction of the two Africans in the beginning of the comic strip is trivial and shows immaturity. They are fighting one another seemingly for no reason and at a weird time of day. The characterization of the African characters depicts monkey-like faces and features, animal skin for clothing and spears. Although the comic strip was written in 1931, it depicts a colonial history that shows racist stereotypes of African people. The positive reviews and attraction to the series also help to solidify a stereotypical ideology of blacks and the associations between the black characters seen on tv and the black people they see in German society become stronger.
Sow’s book also shows that some stereotypical ideologies of Africa relate not only to the people and their specific features, like in Tim im Kongo, but also to the general exoticism associated with Africa and the abundance of plants and animals on the continent. Thinking transcendently, the two ideologies are linked, because the exoticism of Africa and its habitants is directly linked to the animalistic and sexualized depictions of African people. Sow provides her reader with a flyer for the “Afrikas Magie des Dschungels” circus show, that features Africa’s wild exotic animals (Sow, 170). The poster shows half of a black man, half of a lion creature and compares the two side by side, as if equals or two different outer appearances with the same ferocity or wildness within. The black man’s mouth mimics the lion’s, as the animal bone in his nose and markings on his face help to add to his animalistic and exotic appearance. Although the posters initial use has nothing to do with African people, the marketing used by the circus promotes stereotypes.
Moving forward to the 1900’s, the Afro-German population increased exponentially. The end of World War 2 introduced many new cultural and political ideas to Germany during the occupation time. The Allied Powers gained control of West Germany, the United States oversaw repairing and reconstructing West Germany. During this time, American cultural practices were adopted and adjusted to fit into German society, one of which being a new understanding of racism and color. The United States was experiencing segregation between black and white people at the time and this ideology extended to the U.S. Military, even overseas. Two separate armies, one black and one white, were present in Germany during the occupation, reinforcing German society with a concept of race and racism already adopted by National Socialists from white racist Americans, as they began to redefine racism. Before and during the Holocaust, many National Socialists interacted with KKK members to exchange ideas on white supremacy a. Although the end of the war brought more equality to those persecuted during the Holocaust, a new form of racism was adopted as many Germans observed how white American soldiers treated or regarded blacks. Although Afro-Germans have lived in Germany since the 18th century, blackness was not positively or abundantly represented in Germany. Observation of white American soldiers strengthened the already existing racism against blacks, even though there was a high regard for all soldiers, white and black, during the occupation due to the aid in reconstructing and freeing Germany. The solidification of this ideology, through observing how the U.S. treated their black citizens, in-turn, made it more difficult for Germans to conceptualize an Afro-German identity, as German women had relationships and children with black American soldiers. The film, Brown Babies, by Regina Griffin features the children of these relationships, the experiences they had growing up and attempting to understand their identity, and feeling out of place, since many of these children were moved at a young age to the United States by the German government and detached from their German families.
Many Afro-German children were born during this time, introducing Germany to a new identity within their society. Although these children were German, they were not accepted by German society, and were regarded as a problem for Germany. The Afro-German identity faces challenges regarding representation, depiction, and an understanding of a homeland, or ‘Heimat’, and the feeling of belonging. Depictions in media are limited to objectified, sexualized roles for both men and women, such as in the film Quax in Afrika (1947) or the painting Schlafende Milli (1911). Other depictions question where Afro-German people belong, or where their homeland truly is, like in the film Toxi (1953) and combatting such stereotypes and depictions can make creating a sense of community more difficult.
The film Toxi exposes this difficulty for one Afro-German girl named Toxi. With a German mother and an African American father, Toxi finds herself struggling to understand where she belongs. The film focuses on process of her white grandparents finding her father, as they are adamant about finding him and joining Toxi with her father so that she may return to where she belongs, the United States. The end of the film brings union between Toxi and her father, and she returns to the United States with him. Although Toxi grew up in the Germany, the films argue that she does not belong here, but instead with her African parent. This depiction denies the German identity of Afro-Germans and makes it more difficult for them to connect with other Germans as a German. During a scene at the end of the film, Toxi sings about going home to the U.S., even though she’s never been there. This scene clearly depicts German society’s stance on Afro-Germans and how they should not feel at home in Germany. The lack of acceptance of Afro-Germans in Germany during this time is linked to the discrimination against African phenotypes representing the German national identity and resentment against the Allied powers during their occupation of Germany after World War 2.
What does it mean to be Afro-German?
The depictions of Afro-Germans in German media have influenced a marginalization of the community within German society. The small number of physical persons representing Afro-German identity in Germany also contributed to the reception of stereotypes and a search for what it meant to be Afro-German in a majority white German society. Afro-Germans are a mixture of both African and German culture and should theoretically represent both cultures. There are several cases where Afro-Germans did not want to connect with their African heritage and chose to identify only as German. For example, the documentary film Brown Babies interviews an Afro-German man born after World War 2 to an African American soldier and German women. He did not want to connect with his lost African American linage, but rather chose to recognize his German identity only. While undoubtedly there are other Afro-Germans unwilling to learn about their African culture, the documentary features more people willing to connect with and find their lost families, and subsequently finding the answers to questions about their identity.
As some look across oceans to find camaraderie and community, other Afro-Germans are in search of it on German soil, because for them, Germany is home. So how do Afro-Germans establish that connection to other people of African descent in Germany?
In this project, I examine this question by interviewing and talking with Afro-Germans as they provide verbal accounts of how their community utilizes technology, spoken language, body language, and other means to promote camaraderie, unity, and community amongst themselves. Through semi-structured interviews, participants can choose to stray from the original question or topic as they deem necessary to express their identity or story. This practice also allows more diverse information to be collected on what it means to be Afro-German and German. The Afro-German community strongly relates to the African American community for many reasons. Firstly, many Afro-Germans can trace their lineage to African American culture, and secondly, both communities have been marginalized or discriminated against within their countries. Because of this strong relation, this project also examines similarities and differences between cultural and community practices to draw a conclusion on the relationship between Afro-German and African American culture, and highlights Afro-German community methods that help to create a sense of community, camaraderie and unity.
Research Methodologies
I investigate the feeling of camaraderie, community and unity among Afro-Germans and black people in Germany through semi-structured personal interviews. Semi-structured interviews allow more answering freedom for the interviewee to express their opinions and ideas, aiding in the depth of the research while remaining on subject. I also utilize secondary data from social media platforms to comment on camaraderie, community and unity in the Afro-German community in Germany. My facilitation of the interviews may have affected the research due to my identity as an African American woman and the familiarity often felt between interviewer and interviewee. My perception of the research may be affected by my experience as a black woman in the United States. However, both these conditions provide more space for questioning and open conversation about their experiences with other Afro-Germans or black people.
To find participants for the interviews, I used multiple platforms. Firstly, I created a flyer in German that was posted on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, describing the research and how interested participants could get into contact with me. I also utilized hashtags like #afrodeutsch, #blackgerman, #afrogerman, #blackgermany and other to attract the group of people I needed for my research. Secondly, I searched these same hashtags to find Instagram and Twitter accounts that used the hashtag and sent the flyer to the account, encouraging them to participate. Lastly, I wrote email blurbs and utilized my advisors’ professional connections to spread the word about my research to other academics in German studies. Most of the participants were obtained through Instagram. 16 people (1 man, 15 women) participated in the interviews. Interviews were facilitated through WhatsApp, a popular social media app in Germany, and Google Meets. Interview lengths varied from 30 minutes to an hour and a half long, depending on the interviewee, and were recorded via a Snowball microphone and saved to a private external hard drive.
To provide structure to the information gathered during the interviews, I divided the interview questions into categories: Identity; Family History, Tradition and Education; Popular Culture; and Friendship and Dating.
Analysis of Research
Identity: Majority of the participants identify as “Afro-German”, “Schwarz”, “Schwarze Deutsche” or “Black German”, claiming both their African and German culture within their identities. One participant never saw themselves as an “Afro-German” until recently because they were unaware one could identify as such. They now identify as “Afro-German” because they realize this term is acceptable to use in Germany. Some participants choose to identify as “Deutsche” or “German” because Germany is where they grew up. They don’t attach the terms “schwarz”, “black”, or “afro” because their skin tone or hair texture already informs others of this part of their identity. One participant mentioned “colorblindness”, or not seeing skin tone, as their reasoning for not using a prefix that emphasizes their African heritage. As a child, they did not realize they were different from other children until they experienced racism. One participant mentions being bullied for their African features and culture, resulting in a disassociation from their African identity. Other participants deliberately add on the prefix to emphasize their heritage and claim their African identity. The intersectionality of the African and German identity has not always been accepted by Germans or Africans, but many Afro-German people in Germany have begun to claim both cultures in their identity. Disassociation from African heritage and culture within their identity is prevalent among some Afro-Germans due to their upbringing, such as being raised by their white German families, lacking connections and relationships to their black African families, and being surrounded by whiteness on a day-to-day basis.
With the purpose of outwardly expressing their African identity, participants wear their natural hair or in braided protective styles. Wearing bright colors or dressing more creatively are also methods used to express their blackness. However, there seems to be a larger need to express their German identities, since many people don’t assume they are German. One participant shows their German identity through speaking strong and articulated German, educating themselves, and not putting pictures on resumes. Afro-Germans are perceived as uneducated and unable to speak the language, so emphasizing this skill is important when someone wants to express their German identity.
The skin tone of many Afro-Germans dictates how they are perceived in German society, both by white Germans and other Afro-Germans. Participants who had fairer skin or “lightskinned” were called “nicht so richtig schwarz” or not exactly black by their black community members; “halfcast” or half black, half German; and “mischling” or mutt, meaning not pure (German) blood. Participants of both darker and fairer skin color were called “African”, “Ausländer” or outsider, and “Farbige Frau” or colored woman. These names help to understand how both the white and black communities in Germany view Afro-Germans. Some participants feel they do not quite fit into the black community because they are not “black enough”, while they do not fit into the white community because their skin tone and hair texture can automatically reject them from being identified as German.
Family History, Tradition and Education: Since the term “Afro-German” refers to the entire African continent, there are many traditions and holidays celebrated in this community, depending on a person’s specific familial history. Many participants celebrate Christian holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, because Germany celebrates these holidays. Many of the participants have origins in Ghana and celebrate or recognize the Ghanaian Independence Day. Some participants have African American or American origins and celebrates American holidays such as Thanksgiving and American Father’s Day. Some participants don’t celebrate or recognize any holidays, but rather enjoy the time off from work. One participant’s reasoning for not celebrating German holidays is her disinterest in believing in a white God. Depending on their origins and their own beliefs in Christianity, the holidays celebrated or recognized by the Afro-German community vary.
Most participants are familiar with their African lineage, where their family comes from and how their family came to Germany. The relationship and connection held between Afro-Germans and their African lineage directly correlates to their understanding and acceptance of their black identity in a white German society. One participant mentions not having a strong relationship with their African father and his family, correlating to their feelings as a child of not wanting to be black but also not wanting to be white. Some participant who lack a strong relationship with their German family do not attempt to gain that relationship. This may correlate with the presumed inability to understand a black person’s experiences in a white society. One participant explains how their mother would attempt to put them in the best schools and provide them the best opportunities so they would not be seen as “one of those black people” who do not contribute to German society.
Education on Afro-German history and African culture in the German school system was extremely limited. Some participants did not learn anything in school and Afro-German history or African culture until they researched the topic themselves as adults. Those who did learn about Afro-German and African history in the German school system learned about slavery, colonialism, and black on black crimes. Participant recall having one or two days of lessons dedicated to the entire history of Afro-Germans, and often did their own research afterward due the one-sided expression of Afro-German and African history. One participant says she learned about German Colonialism in a single 2-hour seminar. The absence of education on Afro-German history pushed most participants to do their own research through books, films, journals, and social media, helping them create a better sense of identity and community, given a little more information about their communities’ past in Germany. 2 participants learned about African heritage and history from their parents at an early age. One of the two was bullied as a result of learning about and expressing their African identity at a young age. All the participants educate themselves today on African and Afro-German history and culture through books, films, podcasts, articles, journals, continued education at a university, and social media.
Church was mentioned during interviews by a few participants as a place to make friends with other black people. Church is a place where black people could go and express their African or black identity without judgement or ridicule, and many participants who went to church as children created lifelong connections with other black children or families who attended the church.
Popular Culture: The use of social media applications, specifically Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and WhatsApp are important in creating a sense of camaraderie and community among Afro-Germans. Instagram is the most popular platform among the participants, with the purpose of sharing other black or Afro-German stories with their followers and sharing their own stories. Some participants use Instagram to share poetry or artwork created to bring awareness to the black experience in Germany and worldwide. Many participants actively repost other content related to injustices and stories of black people in Germany and around the world from various Instagram accounts, such as @BlackPowerGermany, @ADANNetzwerk, @RosaMag, and @AfroGermany. Wer kennt wen, founded by Fabian Jager and Patrick Ohler in 2006, was also a popularly used social media site that served German, Swizz and Austrian areas. The site was closed in 2014 after facing strong competition from Facebook. One participant uses WhatsApp to share current events or news related to the black community with their white friends as they are not a part of the black community on social media and would not hear of or run into these stories otherwise.
There are many Instagram accounts that depict black people in a positive light and many participants follow these accounts instead of accounts that post majority fair or white skin. The beauty of blackness and black skin is rediscovered through positive images and depictions on Instagram, which helps to reinforce a positive sense of identity and community among Afro-Germans. One participant says they felt more confident in their skin when they stopped following blonde-haired white people and started following people who represent their identity Although extremely popular among the African American community, Twitter, and more specifically Black Twitter, a space where black twitter users create a sense of community through sharing black stories, posting and acknowledging injustice in their community, is not a concept in Germany. Although most participants are familiar with Twitter, few know what Black Twitter is. Participants who knew about Black Twitter did not consider themselves a part of it but share posts they see from Black Twitter on their social media accounts. Most of the participants interact with Black Twitter through Instagram, reiterating the importance of Instagram for the Afro-German community.
Politicians and public figures, such as Aminata Toure, a member of the German Green party or Die Grünen; Tarik Tesfu, a social media figure and talk show host of Tariks Trallafitti Show; Alfredo Darrington Bowman, better known as Dr. Sebi; Dr. Karamba Diabi of the Social Democratic Party in Germany or the Sozialdemokratische Partei; Naomi Campbell, an international supermodel; and Aminata Belli, a television moderator were mentioned during interviews as positive public figures for the Afro-German community.
Dancing is an important part of building a sense of community or camaraderie between Afro-Germans and black people in Germany. Many participants mentioned going to dance halls, such as Afrohaus, or parties with their black friends, or attending restaurants, cafes, and stores based on African cultures. There are festivals, workshops, networks and other events meant to bring people of African Decent together in Germany. A few that were mentioned during interviews are the Black People of Color Netzwerk African food festivals, CurlCon, AfroFestival, Afrolution, Africa Outlook, Each One Teach One in Berlin, and Carnival of Cultures that occur in Germany. Afronation is also a popular festival held in Portugal that creates a sense of community among Afro-Germans. Popular black artists like Beyonce, Rihanna, Jay Z, and Burna Boy help bring a sense of community to Germany when they perform. Genres of music like Rhythm and Blues, Hip Hop, Soul, Rap, and Afrobeats help many of the participants feel connected to and express their black identity.
Friendship and Dating: When asked about their communities, most participants described their friend groups as white. Some participants have few black friends, and few participants have majority black friends. The absence of black people in Germany, especially in the more rural areas, makes it difficult for Afro-Germans to makes friends who are black and share similar interests. Some participants mention removing friends from their lives because they do not outwardly support the Black Lives Matter Movement or concern themselves with issues in the black community. Most participants have friends with diverse nationalities, not just white and black.
When it comes to making friends, many of the participant either have the same friends from childhood in adulthood or created friendships through circumstance, such as work or extra-curricular activities. Some of the participants actively search to create friendships with other black people and Afro-Germans in Germany, however friendships prove to be difficult to build across different African cultures. Some participants mention prejudice against specific African groups, and find it difficult to break into a group of Afro-Germans or black people in who may represent a different country and culture in Africa. One participant mentioned opposition between Afro-German groups who represent Francophone and Anglophone lands. Some Afro-Germans experience prejudice from African people who live in Germany because they “aren’t black enough”.
Most of the participants prefer to date other black people, however with the absence of “quality” black people, they find themselves dating white people. The different types of black men available in Germany (integrated, not integrated, educated, not educated, aggressive, newly migrated, etc.) makes it difficult for some participants to find someone they are interested in. Some participants don’t have a preference of skin color, but rather want to be treated with respect, understood as someone who experiences oppression, racism and prejudice daily in Germany, and want to be free to express all parts of their identity and personality. A few participants find African men to be aggressive and oppressive due to cultural differences and conservative attitudes. One participant says they rarely interact with other black people and therefore only date white women of women with a migration background. Fetishization, or to make a fetish out of an object of idea, of Afro-Germans in relationships was mentioned by a few participants, stating they felt they were fetishized by their white partners and only realized later on what was occurring. Some participants find that black men do not want to date black women in Germany. One participant says they are not attracted to black men because German society always told them black was not beautiful.
The head ‘nod’, a form of recognition shown between two black people in any given moment, is a practice used to show camaraderie and community among black people to provide a sense of security. This nod is commonly used among African Americans in the United States and is also used among a few Afro-Germans communities. Other forms of recognition among Afro-Germans include saying “hello”, smiling, waving, complimenting one another and making eye contact. Some participants only recognize other Afro-German or black women, with reservations about getting unwanted and extra attention from black men. One participant says they feel that black men will make romantic advancements or flirt if acknowledged. Another participant says they try to acknowledge as many black women as possible to help remove the stigma that black women are jealous of each other. Another participant says the ‘nod’ comes naturally to them and helps them feel more comfortable in a predominately white space.
So, what does it mean to be Afro-German?
A Reclamation of Afro-German Identity and Community
Literatures exist today that attempt to re-define Afro-German identity and showcase the contributions of Afro-Germans to German society. Deutsche Welle, a popular German media company, investigates what it’s like being black in Germany by interviewing Afro-Germans all over Germany in their documentary film, Afro Germany. Poet May Ayim is a well-known Afro-German author who describes her own experiences and difficulties being understood as both African and German through her poetry, such as her collection of poems Blues in Black and White. Ayim also took part in a larger piece of work, Farbe bekennen: Afrodeutsche Frauen auf den Spuren ihrer Geschichte, which highlights the experiences of black German women as they faced sexism and racism while providing a historical background of the first interactions between Germans and Africans in pre-colonial and colonial times. This book was groundbreaking at it’s release and offers a look into the very personal opinions and experiences of Afro-German women.
Natasha Kelly, an Afro-German writer and scholar-activist, provides a new perspective on the history of Afro-German women by interviewing 3 different women in 3 different life stages on their own experiences and histories in her documentary film, Milli’s Erwachen, protesting the image of Kirchner’s Schlafende Milli. Ika Hügel-Marshall recalls her own experiences as a child growing up in post-World War 2 Germany, and the lack of interest from the German people in the Afro-German experience in Daheim unterwegs: Ein deutsches Leben. Director Winta Yohannes created a short coming-of-age film called Cherish, that reflects her own experiences being black in Germany. The documentary, And We Were Germans, depicts the life of one well-known Afro-German Hans-Jürgen Massaquoi, who lived during the Third Reich and survived the Holocaust.
Activists have taken different forms of expression and art to educate the community about Afro-German history. For example, Homestory Deutschland, an art exhibit which features videos, photography, and biographies of Afro-Germans, provides the opportunity to not only showcase Afro-German achievements, but also offer a sense of belonging for other Afro-Germans. Jermain Raffington, an Afro-German journalist, created a web video series, called Schwarz Rot Gold, that interviews Black Germans from all over the country about the history and future meaning of German identity and racism. Artists and activists such as these have already begun to bring awareness to the issues surrounding the depictions of African cultures and provide new outlook on Afro-German history. Some other initiatives and organizations include Initiative Schwarzer Deutsche, Joliba interkulturelles Netzwerk in Berlin, Here and Black, Der Braune Mob, Schwarze Frauen in Deutschland, and Colonial Neighbours, but there are many more helping redefine Afro-German identity and educate German society on Afro-German history and culture.
A berlin-based organization called Each One Teach One focuses on educating the African youth and general population in Berlin, Germany on the histories of Afro-Germans in Germany. This non-profit organization has gained support from the community and through educating the community, they are empowering the community. EOTO works in collaboration often with other organizations supporting Afro-German initiatives, such as the annual Afro Kultur festival held in Berlin, Germany. The organization offers access to an online database of afro-diasporic literature, philosophy and culture, providing access to education materials as the physical locations remain closed during the Coronavirus pandemic.
With education comes empowerment, and as Afro-Germans became more aware of the history of colonialism in Germany, demand for change rose. Reminisces of Germany’s colonial history exist in many locations, especially in the Afrikanische Viertel, a neighborhood in Berlin, Germany. The train station in this neighborhood is painted with zoo animals, such as giraffes and meerkats and the streets above share names with African countries. In retaliation to the racism within the city of Berlin, students at Humboldt University of Berlin protested the street name “Mohrenstraße”, where the word mohren is derogatory of African peoples and emphasizes the colonial history of Afro-Germans in Germany. The movement also gained support from Afro-German organizations like Initiative Schwarzer Deutsche. Now many Afro-Germans hold up alternative signs in place of the derogatory one as a method of reclamation.
A deeper look into Afro-German Culture
My podcast, called Home Grown, takes a glimpse into the Afro-German community, providing verbal accounts of one minority group in Germany and helping to re-define what it means to be German.
Episodes
1. Family Ties
2. Friendship and Dating
3. Education
4. The “Nod”
5. Social Media
6. Popular Culture
7. Identity Episode
Many pieces of Afro-German literature throughout history work to help re-define and re-construct the perception of the Afro-German identity through a portrayal of their own experiences interacting with white German society. With less accessibility to other Afro-Germans, there is a lack of representations of the Afro-Germans in literature establishing a sense of community amongst themselves. Most accounts made by Afro-Germans focus on interactions with the white German population, briefly mentioning interactions with other Afro-Germans or black people in Germany, and therefore only emphasizes one aspect of community building for Afro-German people. The contribution my podcast series brings to the arsenal of depictions of Afro-Germans is a highlight of fewer known features of the community and culture and how they create a sense of “heimat” or home.
The podcast also exposes challenges contemporary Afro-German society faces within their own community, despite their efforts to combat negative imagery and connotations between each other. Understanding whether the Afro-German community assimilates or ethno-differentiates into German society also helps better understand in which spaces this community feels most comfortable and what features define their sense of community and camaraderie.
Bibliography
Alfonso, Ana Isabel. Working Images: Visual Research and Representation in Ethnography, Routledge, 2004.
Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities. Verso, 1982.
Brinkmann, Svend. Qualitative Interviewing: Qualitative Interviewing. Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2013.
Campt, Tina. “Diaspora space, ethnographic space—writing history between the lines: a postscript. Other Germans: Black Germans and the Politics of Race, Gender, and Memory in the Third Reich”. University of Michigan Press, pp. 168–210, 2004.
Dreesbach, Anne. “Kolonialausstellungen, Völkerschauen und die Zurschaustellung des ‘Fremden’". Europäische Geschichte Online. 2012.
Fehrenbach, Heide. Learning from America: Reconstructing Race in Postwar Germany. From Americanization and anti-Americanism: the German encounter with American culture after 1945. Berghahn Books. 2005.
Gilman, Sander L. On blackness without blacks: essays on the image of the black in germany. G.K. Hall & Co., 1982.
Göktürk, Deniz. Germany in Transit: Nation and Migration, 1955-2005. 1st ed., University of California Press, 2007.
Griffin, Regina. “Brown Babies: The Mischlingskinder Story”. Regina Griffin Films, 2011.
Honeck, Mischa. Germany and the Black Diaspora: Points of Contact, 1250-1914. Berghahn Books, Incorporated, 2013.
Hügel-Marshall, Ika. Daheim unterwegs: Ein deutsches Leben. Orlanda Frauenverlag, 1998.
Kelly, Natasha A. “Millis Erwachsen”. Orlanda Buchverlag UG, 2018.
Kirchner, Ernst Ludwig. Schlafende Milli. 1911.
MacDougall, David. The Corporeal Image: Film, Ethnography, and the Senses. STU - Student edition ed., Princeton University Press, 2006.
Oguntoye, Katharina, May Ayim, and Dagmar Schultz, eds. Farbe bekennen: Afrodeutsche Frauen auf den Spuren ihrer Geschichte. 2nd ed. Orlanda Frauenverlag, 1991.
Roos, Julia. An Afro-German Microhistory: Gender, Religion, and the Challenges of Diasporic Dwelling. Central European History, vol. 49, no. 2, 2016, pp. 240-260. University of Michigan Press, 2018.
Sow, Noah. Deutschland schwarz weiß: der alltägliche rassismus. München: Bertelsmann, 2008.
Stemmle, Robert A. “Toxi”. Döring-Film GmbH, 1952.
Ulrich, Adama. “Afro.Deutschland”. Deutsche Welle, 2017.
Weiss, Helmut. “Quax in Afrika”. Terra Film, 1947.
Comentarios