Steinmeier must acknowledge colonial injustice in Tanzania
Press release by Tanzania-Network.de e.V., Berlin Postkolonial e.V. and Flinn Works on the occasion of the German President's visit to Tanzania from 30.10. to 01.11.2023
Berlin, 27.10.2023
On the occasion of Frank Walter Steinmeier's visit to Tanzania, representatives of civil society in Germany with various connections to Tanzania call on the Federal President to recognise German colonialism in East Africa as an injustice, to take historical and political responsibility for the colonial crimes committed and to sincerely apologise to the descendants of the victims of the Maji-Maji War and German colonial rule as a whole. The German government, in close consultation with the affected communities, must now initiate the repatriation of their stolen ancestors and the restitution of their cultural treasures. Negotiations should also begin with the most affected communities and the Tanzanian government on appropriate symbolic and material compensation.
"This visit to Songea must be used to demand an apology from Germany to the descendants of the victims of the Maji-Maji war. Such an apology is essential for any equal German-Tanzanian cooperation, be it on a political, institutional or civil society level". (Volker Schauer, Chairman of Tanzania-Network.de e.V.)
"It is time for Germany to unequivocally acknowledge its responsibility in colonial history and then follow up words with deeds. We want not only the return of our abducted ancestors and cultural treasures, but also compensation for what was irretrievably destroyed. (Mnyaka Sururu Mboro, board member of Berlin Postkolonial)
A detailed list of demands by various civil society and church actors on the occasion of the President's visit can be found on the Tanzania-Network.de website: https://tanzania-network.de/en/themen/majimaji/koloniedeutschostafrika
For further information please contact:
- Tanzania-Network.de: Daniela Tschuschke, ks
tanzania-network [dot] de (ks[at]tanzania-network[dot]de) - Berlin Postkolonial: Mnyaka Sururu Mboro, bueroberlin-postkolonial [dot] de, + 49 1525 1755 370
- Flinn-Werke: Konradin Kunze, mailflinn [dot] works, +49 177 2723827
On the following pages you will find detailed literature references and background information on various aspects of the Maji-Maji War:
- Colonial heritage
- Colony "German East Africa"
- Maji-Maji War
- Short- and long-term effects
- Dealing with colonial heritage in Tanzania
- Dealing with colonial heritage in Germany
- 2005: 100 years of the Maji-Maji War
- Our demands
- Expectations for the visit of Federal President Steinmeier
- Further reading on Maji-Maji