Decolonial exhibition: Discover Berlin's repressed colonial history!

Decolonial exhibition: Discover Berlin's repressed colonial history!

On June 3, 2025, Norah El Gammal and PD Dr. Andrea Gremels with students at the Viadrina about German colonial history while visiting the exhibition “Decolonial – What Remains?” Visit the Nikolaikirche City Museum in Berlin. This exhibition is dedicated to Berlin's involvement in colonialism, collective memory and the transatlantic history of enslavement. The excursion complements the seminars “Life Writing from the Caribbean” and “Trauma: Postcolonial and Post-Fascist Remembrance Cultures,” which raise current discursive questions.

The tour not only gave the students insights into the curatorial practice of coming to terms with colonial history, but also the opportunity to participate directly in the dialogue about colonial memories. Monika Godzik and Viktoria Siekert, both part of the excursion, commented on the artistic works in the exhibition. Godzik showed particular interest in the stories from German colonial history, while Siekert emphasized the relevance of the exhibition for linking colonial and urban history.

Insights and discussions

After the one-hour tour, the students collected their impressions in the Ephraim Palace, where they discussed the topics of the essay “Decolonizing the Berlin City Museum?” the “Decolonial” initiative discussed. This initiative is part of a larger project on the culture of remembrance in the city, which will begin on November 14, 2024 with the decentralized exhibition “Decolonial – what remains?!” was opened. The exhibition not only addresses Berlin's involvement in the global history of enslavement and colonialism, it also focuses on three central locations in Berlin-Mitte: the Nikolaikirche Museum, the African Quarter in the Wedding district and the historical site of the Berlin Africa Conference of 1884/85.

The exhibition showcases a variety of perspectives on colonial racism and includes both historical and artistic works. In the Nikolaikirche Museum you can find, among other things, the exhibitions “Colonial Ghosts – Resistant Spirits” and “Inscribed. Colonialism, Museum and Resistance”, which include various artists such as Tonderai Koschke and Theresa Weber.

Social context and memory work

Interest in German colonial history is currently at a peak, which is reflected in the increase in relevant courses at universities and public discussion. Historically, Germany's colonial past was a marginal issue for a long time. However, with the end of the German colonial empire, a change began.

The discussion about colonial issues can also be seen, for example, in the debate about renaming street names and in the context of the Humboldt Forum. Public awareness of the colonial past has grown, especially since the 1990s, when globalization and an increase in the migrant population led to a rethink.

Transnational politics of remembrance plays an essential role in this context, while the discourse about the return of colonial artifacts and the recognition of genocide against the Herero and Nama becomes increasingly topical. These developments not only reflect the social changes in Germany, but also question the country's role in the international context.

The excursion by Norah El Gammal and Andrea Gremels and the discussions based on it are part of an important process that brings colonial history and its effects into focus. Further information about the exhibition “Decolonial – what remains?!” are on the homepage of city ​​museum to find.