Brief history of Africans in Germany Introduction - American ...

Africans in the Former German Democratic Republic [Germany today
– Post World War II]
Africans came to the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) for a number of
reasons. Some were invited to come to study at the Universities or to learn a vocational
skill at one of the vocational schools. Others came as part of a group from an African
country to learn the skills and techniques to operate factory machinery that was being
built by the Germans for their particular countries. Another group was invited to the
country as guest workers.
A number of orphaned children of African Liberation Movement leaders, dead or in
prisoned, came to the GDR. Many of the children came from South Africa,
Mozambique, Namibia, and other countries in Africa where there were armed resistance
for independence. These individuals spent their childhood with German families or in
homes for children.
A number of them remained in Germany after reaching adulthood and German
Reunification. These examples of support were part of the GDR’s foreign policy to
promote economic cooperation, trade and socialism throughout Africa. Dr. Wilfred
Imoudu, a trained engineer, businessman, and General Secretary of the Pan African
Forum in Berlin and Mr. Mahoma Mwaungulu, President of the Pan African Forum who
was trained as an Economist, are two examples of Africans who came to the GDR as part
of the country’s efforts to train and educate Africans.
Dr. Imoudu came to the city of Frankfurt on the Oder at the age of 16 from Nigeria. His
father was a trade union activist in Nigeria. As the son of a trade union movement
worker, Wilfred was allowed to come to the GDR and study. After he attended German
language school he worked and continued in his education for three years. Wilfred
returned to school and continued until received his doctorate in Engineering from the
Technical University in Dresden.
Mr., Mwaungulu, a Malawian, came to the GDR in 1960 and received his Masters at the
Karl Marx University, now the University of Leipzig. He was very active in the African
community in the GDR. He worked, taught, and lectured in various institutions in the
former GDR and West Germany. He married a German woman. They have three adult
children. He now lives in Berlin, and continues to work toward integrating Africans into
German society.
African Americans in Berlin [The late 19 th Century]
Writings by Mary Church Terrell Mary Church Terrell, an African-American
feminist and civil rights activist, lived in Berlin from 1889 to 1890.
Her recollections of Berlin at the end of the 19th century are those of an educated,
observant and exceptional woman of her generation. After receiving her Masters Degree