In contrast to the Third Reich, another dark aspect of German history, its colonial past, yet remains to be fully appraised. Germany was only for a relatively short period a colonial power, but at times (until the end of WW I) the third largest in the world.

The RG Munich goes on a free alternative walking tour in English with DAAD alumnus and LMU sociologist Albert Denk to explore colonial traces in Munich. This tour takes us from Maxvorstadt to the center of Munich and exposes the entanglements of colonial history and today’s continuities. From a postcolonial perspective, we will discuss colonial remnants and references to this epoch in the cityscape.

Instead of stopping at the classic sightseeing spots of the city, will visit places like the Lioness of Behn or the former ‘colonial goods’ store Dallmayr, which seem innocuous at first sight. There we will discuss the following question: What can be seen in these places today and what kind of remembrance work is taking place? What has happened here and who is honored in this place? We will take a closer look at these and other questions between Englischer Garten and the Museum Fünf Kontinente.

Most of the places we visit are quite obscure even to Germans, so this is our chance to learn something very special. Few for example are aware that EDEKA, an omnipresent supermarket chain, originally stood for ‘Einkaufsgenossenschaft deutscher Kolonialwarenhändler’ (buyers’ coop of German traders in colonial goods – i.e. sugar, coffee, tobacco, rice, spices, tea, cocoa).

Max 20 participants

Contact: fk-muenchen@daad-alumni.de