“I am expected to be grateful to be here. But have I sold my soul to the devil?”
In lieu of everything that has been happening in America, there’s hushed tones about or if racism exists in Germany.
Sensitive topic ofcourse. Such things we talk about only when we are having our get togethers at house parties.
There’s alot of Kenyans in Germany and most of us were lucky to get here before the immigration crisis began. So we found our way around and until today, still trying to make a name for ourselves.
I understood racism in my adult years, away from my home country ofcourse. I was conscious of my skin colour when I got here because that’s how one is referred to. “Die Schwarze” It’s an accepted term, it’s normal but I take offence when someone doesn’t say my name.
In essence, I do not feel restricted, but I feel very aware of being different all the time.
Black people living in Germany, have historically been treated as inferior citizens and up until the 1930s, the country had hundreds of âhuman zoosâ where African people were put on display for âethnological expeditionsâ and the viewing entertainment of German people.
Germany’s colonial history isn’t much talked about.
Once after leaving work in the coldest and gloomiest of Winter, I was waiting for my bus home. The bus driver almost passed me by. After getting in he said, “Bitte nächstes mal ihre Handy hoch heben dass ich Ihnen sehen kann” that basically means, he didn’t see me and I should keep my phone up so the light can signal that someone’s there. I was standing on a well lit street.
Small comment, I let it slide. I did not want to argue with anyone and get in trouble. My residence permit was still in process. Also, I mean I’m a black person, at night. It’s only fair that I make myself visible no? (Literally)
I’d personally say racism exists but very subtle. It’s thrown in a conversation casually.
I have been called a nigger atleast 5 times. We experience this so frequently it’s almost becoming a way of life. Its either we retreat with rage or tears.
It’s trying to find an apartment online, get accepted but being turned down because you met the landlord in person.
It’s sending job applications to organisations that are in need of your skills but get denied because of “language barrier” but most times it’s because of your 2nd name.
Its failing to integrate fully at the work place or in class because of the colour of your skin.
It’s going to an expensive restaurant as the only black person and all eyes are on you.
German people are typically closed off to outsiders or people they donât know personally but they are oddly at home with staring.
Though Germany has a law against racism, the General Equal Treatment Act, its scope is too narrow, only targeting private institutions suspected of racial discrimination. It does not cover racial discrimination committed by the state, which includes police brutality and racial profiling.
Incidents of racial injustice are not âeffectively investigatedâ which denies justice for the victims – that’s according to the United Nationsâ Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent that went on a tour of Germany to meet with government officials and legal experts.
When I have this conversation with my German friends, they get very upset about it which I guess is understandable.
Instead of becoming offended we should take some time to actually think about the issue and educate each other. The amount of comments from black people who have attempted to live here demonstrates that this isn’t simply an issue about growing a thicker skin. It’s a systematic issue that is going to take some time to overcome.
No country is perfect on race issues, but Germany has a lot of work to do.
“Racism has always been present, but sadly we also have this problem. We should first sweep in front of our own door “
Angela Merkel referring to the unrest currently happening in the USA.
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