The First German Colonial Exhibition of 1896 in Berlin-Treptow
From May 1 to October 15, 1896, the “First German Colonial Exhibition” took place in Treptower Park. Politicians, business leaders, and church representatives, as well as ethnological and natural history museums, were involved in this major event.
Image gallery
Key Visual der Ausstellung, Design by Studio Visual Intelligence
Die Ausstellung zurückgeschaut im Museum Treptow
As part of a discriminatory “human zoo,” 106 people from the German colonies were put on display before an audience of millions. Most of the participants were unaware that they were to be “exhibited” in Berlin to serve racist stereotypes and colonial fantasies. Many of them resisted the roles assigned to them: Kwelle Ndumbe from Cameroon bought a pair of opera glasses and looked back at the audience in Berlin.
The 1896 Colonial Exhibition is a pivotal event in Berlin’s global history and of particular significance for the history of its Black community.
The permanent exhibition “zurückgeschaut | looking back” is dedicated to the history and aftermath of the “First German Colonial Exhibition.”
The focus is on the 106 children, women, and men from Africa and Oceania, their biographies, and their resistance. Additionally, the structure of the colonial exhibition and its historical context are explored.
The exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Treptow-Köpenick Museums and the project network “Decolonial Culture of Remembrance in the City.” It is the first permanent exhibition on colonialism, racism, and Black resistance in a public Berlin museum.
Additional information
Hours
- Mon–Thu 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
- Fri 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Sat and Sun 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Admission is free.
