Although the German Reich was one of the great European colonial powers from 1884 until the end

of the First World War in 1918, the colonial past in Germany has only been growing publicly in recent years. The exhibition of the German Historical Museum reveals the colonial ideology, which was characterized by a European concept of superiority. The diverse domination relationships ranged from localized alliances and the exercise of everyday violence to the colonial war in Namibia, which resulted in the genocide. The colonial encounters were equally complex. In them, African, oceanic and German actors followed their respective aims and explored their scope for action. The exhibition illuminates the motives of the missionaries, civil servants, military, settlers or merchants on the German side as well as the interests of the colonized. It raises the question of the extent to which the perspectives of the colonized are taken into account in the historical tradition, and to what extent this contradicts the sheer volume of collections and archives that arose during the colonial period and supported the power relations.

The pronounced colonial consciousness continued even after 1919.

This controversial recollection of the colonial past gives the exhibition space, while artistic and civil society perspectives open up an insight into the presence of German colonialism in the affected countries and in Germany.

In addition to texts in German and English, the exhibition also offers the main information in Braille, in light language and as a gesture video. "Including communication stations" invite you to a participatory entry into every topic.

Address:
Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historic Museum)
Unter den Linden 2
10117 Berlin

More info:
www.dhm.de