Kolonialismus begegnen

Colonialism is part of Berlin’s complex history. As the capital of the German Empire, Berlin was the centre of German colonial policy from 1884 to 1918. Both before and after this period, the city was intertwined with colonialism in many ways. Civil society initiatives in Berlin and around the world have long been calling for this historical responsibility to be addressed. Although current debates reflect a growing awareness of the colonial past and its contemporary implications, a broad public discussion of the issue is still in its infancy.

Against this backdrop, Berlin’s district and regional museums are examining colonialism, the critiques of it and its consequences in and for Berlin. In collaboration with civil society organisations and initiatives, the academic community and other cultural institutions, they are working towards the decolonisation of Berlin’s urban history. What colonial traces and continuities, what stories of criticism and resistance can be brought to light? With their decentralised perspective, the district museums highlight locations, trace life stories and pinpoint events in the city’s colonial history. In doing so, they also examine colonial connections beyond the scope of formal German colonial rule.

Kolonialismus begegnen collects traces and voices relating to post/colonialism. The website documents the research processes and findings from Berlin’s districts and is continuously updated with new content. It invites visitors to conduct their own research into places, themes and individuals within the context of Berlin’s post/colonial history and to encounter traces of colonialism on the ground – from Treptower Park to Grunewald, from Pfaueninsel via Friedrichstraße to the African Quarter.

It also provides information on exhibitions, projects and events organised by district and regional museums and partner organisations – with the aim of stimulating research and dialogue on colonialism and the post-colonial present as a shared process.