Imperial Heirlooms: The Private Memory of Colonialism in Germany

Abstract

Despite the brevity of the colonial period itself and major ruptures in German history since the colonial era, a remarkably resilient narrative of German colonialism has continued within the private sphere. In colonial families, the memory of colonialism has been passed down like a family heirloom, often literally in the form of colonial-themed artefacts, such as photographs and ethnographic items, but also through stories and anecdotes. Four generations have picked up these ‘artefacts’ and presented them according to their own frames of reference, interpretations and purposes, weaving them into a multi-layered ‘family archive’. As historians continue to uncover new aspects of German colonial history, it is important to recognise both the private and the material dimensions of German colonial memory as valuable sources.

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