The Evolution of the Presence and Recognition of Afro-Germans in Germany, from Colonization till Today

The history of the presence of Afro-Germans in Germany is a complex path that goes back thousands of years. Nevertheless, the fight to be recognized as real Germans was only taken seriously starting in 1980, with the arrival in Germany of Audre Lorde, an American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist. Audre Lorde initiated the Afro-German movement with Afro-German women including May Ayim, Dagmar Schultz, Katharina Oguntoye, Ika Hügel-Marshall, and many others. Before her arrival, Afro-Germans were alienated from society and were only referred to as “war babies,” “occupation babies,” and many other racist names. So this movement was a way to create an identity for Afro-Germansin general and Afro-German women in particular. My thesis focuses on this Afro-German movement, beginning with background information on the colonization of Africa by Germany followed by the two World Wars and leading to the life and experiences of Afro-Germans in Germany today.