Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Lifestyle
Henning Melber, Extraordinary Professor, Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria

German colonialism in Africa has a chilling history – new book explores how it lives on

Africa Germany Holocaust amnesia Genocide

Germany was a significant – and often brutal – colonial power in Africa. But this colonial history is not told as often as that of other imperialist nations. A new book called The Long Shadow of German Colonialism: Amnesia, Denialism and Revisionism aims to bring the past into the light. It explores not just the history of German colonialism, but also how its legacy has played out in German society, politics and the media. We asked Henning Melber about his book.

What is the history of German colonialism in Africa?

Imperial Germany was a latecomer in the scramble for Africa. Shady deals marked the pseudo-legal entry point. South West Africa (today Namibia), Cameroon and Togo were euphemistically proclaimed to be possessions under “German protection” in 1884. East Africa (today’s Tanzania and parts of Rwanda and Burundi) followed in 1886.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
California cement worker turned discarded bottles into 200 desert art trees along Route 66
California cement worker Elmer Long transformed discarded glass bottles and scrap metal into an unusual art forest along Route 66. His two-acre Bottle Tree Ranch, featuring around 200 trees and over 1,000 bottles, became a popular tourist attraction. As Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, Long's family continues…
The Times of India
The Times of India
Apollo 16 Astronaut Says UFOs Are Literally Demons and Claims God Proved It Over a Morning Breakfast
Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke says a breakfast conversation confirmed his belief that UFOs are demonic, while NASA evidence does not support either extraterrestrial or supernatural explanations.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Plastic Additive Marketed as Safer Phthalate Swap Linked to Slightly Smaller Newborns in 6,617 U.S. Pregnancies
Higher levels of DINCH, a plastic additive used to replace phthalates, were linked to smaller newborns in 6,617 U.S. pregnancies. Here is what the study shows.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
South Carolina woman says she filmed a man pouring what looks like sugar into her gas tank, and this time she got his license plate
Lights, camera, action!
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
‘Like selling wolves from Yellowstone’: how protected US sharks are being sold off to foreign aquariums
While anglers cannot take endangered sand tiger sharks, a loophole lets private firms catch the fish to sell abroad, profiting from Delaware Bay’s conservation success
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
How one of the world’s biggest music stars is transforming the Spanish language
According to the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE, under its Spanish acronym), a “piquete” is either a sharp object, a small wound, or a group of striking workers blocking access to a workplace. It is a word, generally speaking, of conflict and harm.
The Conversation
The Conversation
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play