Postcolonial Germany: Memories of Empire in a Decolonized Nation (Oxford Historical Monographs)

At the end of the First World War, Germany appeared to have lost everything: the lives of millions of soldiers and civilians, control over borderland territories, and, above all, a sense of national self-worth in the international political arena. But it also lost almost three million square kilometres of land overseas in the form of colonies and concessions in Africa, China, and the Pacific. Allied powers declared Germany unfit to rule over overseas populations, and it was forcibly decolonized. It thus became the first 'postcolonial' European nation that had participated in the 'new imperialism' of the modern era. The end of colonialism was the beginning of a memory culture that has been remarkably long-lived and dynamic. Postcolonial Germany traces the evolution of the collective memory of German colonialism, stretching from the loss of the colonies across the eras of National Socialism, national division, and the Cold War to the present day. It shows to what extent this memory was intimately bound to objects of material culture in the former colonial metropole, such as tropical fruit sold at colonial balls, state gifts handed to the former colonies at independence, and ethnological items kept as family heirlooms. The study draws on a wide range of sources, including popular literature, oral history, and previously unexplored archival holdings. It marks an important shift in historical methodology, considering the significance of both material culture and private memories in constructing accounts of the past. Above all, it raises important questions about the public responsibilities of postcolonial nations and governments in Europe and their relationship to the private legacies of colonialism. 'postcolonial Germany' Traces The Evolution Of The Collective Memory Of German Colonialism, Stretching From The Loss Of The Colonies Across The Eras Of National Socialism, National Division, And The Cold War To The Present Day. It Shows To What Extent This Memory Was Intimately Bound To Objects Of Material Culture In The Former Colonial Metropole, Such As Tropical Fruit Sold Atcolonial Balls, State Gifts Handed To The Former Colonies At Independence, And Ethnological Items Kept As Family Heirlooms. Machine Generated Contents Note: 1.the `africa-book', 1915--1925 -- `good' Colonialists -- Victims Of Versailles -- Explaining Heimat -- 2.colonial Wares, `blacks', And Jazz At The Colonial Ball, 1925--1935 -- Kolonialwaren: Bananas, Coffee, And Cocoa -- `black' Performers -- Jazz -- 3.the Schoolbook, 1935--1945 -- Education In Weimar And Nazi Germany -- Colonial Violence -- The First World War In Africa -- Teaching The Volksgemeinschaft -- Types Of Heroism -- Training In The Will For Colonies -- 4.the State Gift, 1949--1968 -- Cameroun (fr.) 1960; Cameroon (gb) 1961 -- Togo 1960 -- Tanganyika 1961/tanzania 1964 -- Rwanda And Burundi 1962 -- Southwest Africa -- 5.the Empty Plinth, 1968--1990 -- Colonialism On The Streets -- Historians And Historiography -- The Namibia Question -- 6.the Family Heirloom: Private Memories Of Colonialism -- The History Makers---colonial Actors' Forming Of Family Memory -- Continuities And Discontinuities In `decolonized' Memory Making -- Contents Note Continued: Reconsidering Family Memory In The Postcolonial Generation -- `working Through'---a Case Study Of Generational Encounter -- 7.conclusion. Britta Schilling. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Frontmatter List of Illustrations (page xi) List of Abbreviations (page xiii) Introduction: The Fall of Colonialism and the Rise of Memory (page 1) 1. The 'Africa-Book', 1915-1925 (page 13) 'Good' Colonialists (page 22) Victims of Versailles (page 32) Explaining Heimat (page 35) 2. Colonial Wares, 'Blacks', and Jazz at the Colonial Ball, 1925-1935 (page 41) Kolonialwaren: Bananas, Coffee, and Cocoa (page 48) 'Black' Performers (page 51) Jazz (page 61) 3. The Schoolbook, 1935-1945 (page 68) Education in Weimar and Nazi Germany (page 72) Colonial Violence (page 79) The First World War in Africa (page 81) Teaching the Volksgemeinschaft (page 83) Types of Heroism (page 85) Training in the Will for Colonies (page 87) 4. The State Gift, 1949-1968 (page 90) Cameroun (Fr.) 1960; Cameroon (GB) 1961 (page 98) Togo 1960 (page 107) Tanganyika 1961/Tanzania 1964 (page 113) Rwanda and Burundi 1962 (page 123) Southwest Africa (page 127) 5. The Empty Plinth, 1968-1990 (page 133) Colonialism on the Streets (page 135) Historians and Historiography (page 142) The Namibia Question (page 147) 6. The Family Heirloom: Private Memories of Colonialism (page 155) The History Makers-Colonial Actors' Forming of Family Memory (page 157) Continuities and Discontinuities in 'Decolonized' Memory Making (page 159) Reconsidering Family Memory in the Postcolonial Generation (page 173) 'Working Through'- A Case Study of Generational Encounter (page 186) 7. Conclusion (page 195) Bibliography (page 209) Index (page 253) [ Postcolonial Memories of Empire in a Decolonized Nation By ( Author ) May-2014 Hardcover