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From: Maria Pease, Michigan State University
List Editor: H-AFRICA---Mel Page <AFRICA@ETSUARTS.ETSU-TN.EDU>
Editor's Subject: REVIEW: _African-German Experience_: Reply
Author's Subject: REVIEW: _African-German Experience_: Reply
Date Written: Sat, 23 Aug 1997
Date Posted: Wed, 26 Aug 1997 20:34:54 -0400

          <peasemar@pilot.msu.edu>


I have lived and worked in Berlin and have had interactions
with members of the Afrogerman community. I am always interested
in sharing my experiences with others. In reply to Fikru's
posting here are some brief (and therefore incomplete answers:

    1. What are the means through which the Afro-German
    community was created: migration, birth, mixed marriage,
    naturalization, etc.?

All of the above, and more.

    2. What is the size of the Afro-German community: hundreds,
    thousands, tens of thousands, etc.?

Because of Germany's rather dubious past as regards racial
matters, the size of the population is almost always a very
rough estimate, however approximately 1% of the entire German
population, (post unification)

    3. Do they have full constitutional rights: voting, being
    voted, etc.?

Yes. They have all the rights accorded to any German citizen.
(Germany is one of a very few nations that still rely on
"bloodlines" to determine citizenship in the 'Kulturnation').

    4. Are there any links between black-Germans and other
    minorities?

Yes. There are links being forged all the time. Most of the
links are the consequence of "networking" and collective efforts
of Afro-German movements such as ADEFRA (an Afrogerman women's
group) and ISD (Initiative Schwarze Deutsch).

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