Chiedozie Michael Uhuegbu (Sewanee: The University of the South)

Why Germany? What relation does Germany, a country, have with the African continent? The relationship between African countries and Germany dates back to the seventeenth century, long before the Berlin conference of 1884 under Otto von Bismarck—itself a historical turning-point in German colonial politics. The meeting resulted in the scramble for and partition of Africa by European nations like France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain. The nineteenth-century saw an explosion of adventurous trading enterprises that pushed Bismarck to start a more official, state-supported form of colonialism and ultimately to the Berlin Conference. The German colonial period in Deutsch-Südwestafrika and Deutsch-Ostafrika marked another stage of Africans coming to Germany either by force or free will. However, Africans’ migration to Germany includes a socio-economic dimension to this day. Germany’s loss of colonies, World War I and II, and the horrible events of the Nazi era did not stop Africans from migrating to Germany either because of former colonial ties, economic hardship, or for insecurity reasons. This panel considers the debates surrounding migration, race, and identity, including the histories and legacies of colonialism, imperialism, fascism, and racism. We invite discussions that focus on Germany’s relationship with Africa in literature, history, religion, art history, or culture. How did Germany become a diasporic home for some Africans? What is the meaning of diaspora for Africans who migrated or are born in Germany? How did Africans start migrating to Germany? Why did they migrate? What does the home mean for the African diaspora in Germany?

This panel considers debates surrounding migration, race, and identity, including histories and legacies of colonialism, imperialism, fascism, and racism. We invite discussions on Germany’s relationship with Africa in literature, history, religion, art history, or culture. How did Germany become a diasporic home for some Africans? What is the meaning of diaspora for Africans who migrated or are born in Germany?