Deutsche Welle Shadows of German Colonialism

Why African nations still fight over colonial era borders

Loading player...
Why does Namibia have a bizarre panhandle? Why do some Ghanaians talk of being from "Western Togoland"? Much of this has to do with African borders drawn up in Europe during late 19th century. Borders that to this day are still very much contested, and have had deadly consequences. We explore how treaties designed to prevent war in Europe have caused conflict in Africa.
22 Feb 2024 English South Africa Education

Other recent episodes

Why did Germany target colonies in East Africa

In East Africa and the Great Lakes region, German colonial conquest spurred courageous resistance from many local East African groups against well-armed and violent colonial forces.
30 Jan 2024 12 min

Quane Martin Dibobe: From exhibit to anti-colonial activist

Summer 1896: A Cameroonian man appeared in Treptower Park, Berlin as part of a human exhibition to increase enthusiasm for German colonialism. Little did anyone know this man — Martin Dibobe — would later become a pioneering human rights activist.
19 Dec 2023 11 min

The colonial legacy of Africa's place names

In the context of colonial-era injustice, the renaming of landmarks almost seems like a footnote. But in this podcast we discover how renaming mountains, towns, and even people was another form of oppression. We also meet some characters who have outlived the colonialists' names, and why renaming landmarks is a…
23 Jan 2024 9 min
All episodes