Cologne students are calling for the cafeteria and lecture halls to be renamed

Cologne –

Via an open letter to the University of Cologne in December, a total of 14 groups, some of them student, from Cologne and Bonn made great demands. The decolonization and denazification of the university.

• Students send an open letter to the University of Cologne
• They are calling for decolonization and denazification
• The University of Cologne responds to the demands

The concern of the Letter is clear: “There shouldn’t be a cafeteria in our university that is named after a racist. Our university shouldn’t have any lecture halls named after Nazis. We don’t want pictures of Nazis hanging in our university without comment. No bones of victims of colonialism should be exhibited in our university. “

University of Cologne: Students demand renaming of the cafeteria

What is behind these tough allegations? The namesake of the “Mensa Robert-Koch-Straße” has been known everywhere, not just since Corona. The Robert Koch Institute was also named after the important German physician. After all, he achieved international fame in 1882 with the discovery of the tuberculosis pathogen.

However, there is also a black chapter in his life, as reported in the letter. Because Robert Koch traveled to the German colonies in East Africa for research purposes. On the basis of human experiments with sick Africans, he examined sleeping sickness there. He injected them with the highly toxic substance Atoxyl and accepted blindness and death in the process.

“In this designation, the colonial past of the university must be viewed critically,” demand the signatories of the letter. The campus: green group, Students for Future Cologne and the Decolonize Cologne initiative are all represented there.

Decolonization of the University of Cologne: bones of victims exhibited

The colonial history also shows itself in another critical point, it continues to say. The remains of victims of colonialism are still part of the university’s anatomical collection. In addition, they are exhibited in partially accessible showcases. The signatories demand that the bones be returned to their relatives.

But the Nazi era is still part of everyday student life. Some lecture halls bear the names of NSDAP members. Examples are the Müller-Armack-Hörsaal, the Gutenberg-Hörsaal or the Kurt-Adler-Hörsaal.

University of Cologne replies to letter: concerns are known

The above-mentioned concerns are well known to the University of Cologne, it says in one Reply letter of the rector Axel Freimuth. Above all, the issues of National Socialism are already being dealt with intensively. “We have been dealing with this topic for many years,” explains Patrick Honecker, spokesman for the university.

The naming of rooms, honors and events is currently being examined, the official statement said. However, the research is delayed due to the corona. In addition, there are plans to create a memorial for members of the university who were persecuted under National Socialism.

With regard to the canteen on Robert Koch-Strasse, the university does not have much influence, says Honecker. The name is only unofficial and depends on the name of the street. However, the debate about Robert Koch will continue to be followed closely, according to the university.

Because of the remains from colonialism, origin research is currently being carried out. Further decisions are made in this regard with the Museum Association as well as the federal and state governments.

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