Witnesses of the German Genocide in Namibia

Event to recognise the restitution of human remains from the Charité back to Namibia

Background: From 1904-1908 German troops fought a terrible war of destruction in the former colony German South-West Africa (now known as the Republic of Namibia) against the Herero, Nama and Damara, in order to break the anticolonial resistance movement. Countless remains from the victims of the genocide and the concentration camps that had been established there by the German troops were transported to Germany "for research purposes". Hundreds of these remains were given to the Charité, a hospital in Berlin, which until today still has them in the hospital archives.

The Charité has only begun the process of returning the stolen human remains to their descendants following a great deal of public pressure in Germany and Namibia. The first delegation of various Namibian Interest Groups is expected to be in Berlin from September 26th until October 3rd 2011. This delegation will receive the mortal remains of 20 people and will bring these back to Namibia.

To commemorate this historical event, we openly invite everyone to engage critically with this period of German-Namibian history. The central theme will be the theft of the human remains and their restitution. In addition, the discussion will focus on Germany's long overdue recognition of the genocide in 1904-08, as well as symbolic and material reparations. The panel discussion will be simultaneously interpreted (German/English).

Host organisations: AfricAvenir International, AFROTAK TV cyberNomads!, Berliner Entwicklungspolitischer Ratschlag (BER), Berlin Postkolonial, Deutsch-Afrikanische Gesellschaft (DAFRIG) Berlin, Global Afrikan Congress, , Solidaritätsdienst International (SODI), in cooperation with the August-Bebel-Institut, the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung and the Haus der Kulturen der Welt

More information: www.restitution-namibia.de

Online book of condolence: www.namibia.menschen-gedenken.de