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fromFabian Scheuermann
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An Offenbach activist uses the momentum of the “Black Lives Matter” protests and starts a petition to rename Bismarckstrasse – because of its role in colonialism. The AfD, however, sees the “identity of the Germans” in danger.
In many places, as a result of the anti-racist “Black Lives Matter” protests, old authorities are being questioned, and demands for the dismantling of statues and for the renaming of streets are becoming loud. Also in Offenbach: The student Felix Sauer has been calling for the renaming of Bismarckstrasse at the main station with an online petition since Sunday. He suggests naming the street after Erwin Kostedde – a prominent African-German soccer player who also played for the Kickers. Or after the rapper Aykut Anhan aka arrest warrant – one of the best-known Offenbachers with a history of migration.
Historical classification
The well-known historian Jürgen Zimmerer does not seem to find it so difficult to classify Otto von Bismarck: In 2015 he wrote for the Federal Agency for Civic Education: “Ruthlessness towards African interests and African domains were also a mortgage of independent Africa and the cause of sometimes virulent minority conflicts” .
Bismarck’s statement at a conference opening that the goal is “to enable the natives of Africa to connect to civilization by opening up the interior of this continent for trade” could be a prime example of colonialism
A world view applies, writes Zimmerer.A memory of Bismarck must take these “global effects of his actions into account”. fab
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In his time as Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck helped to organize the colonization of Africa, was the essence of Sauer’s criticism – so he was “partly responsible for the murder of millions of people”. Sauer received support for his advance in the social networks – but above all criticism, as he explains. Bismarck’s social reforms were often referred to – but hardly any negatives. It is time for a reassessment of such historical people: “The wrong people are honored here.”
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The 29-year-old knows that streets are not named after living people. He wanted to stimulate the discussion with the proposals Kostedde and arrest warrant, says Sauer – and suggests a vote on the new name. You also have to question other street names: for example, a path named after the founder of the German Leather Museum, Hugo Eberhardt. The historian Andreas Hansert had published in a book last year how much Eberhardt had loved the Nazis. The topic should be discussed by the street naming group of the city councilors – but it is not currently meeting.
The political reactions to the petition are different. Mayor Felix Schwenke (SPD) says he is “not a Bismarck fan”, but can recognize some of his achievements. A “broad consensus” was needed to rename the company – especially with regard to the historical judgment. For this you need the input of a “professionally competent historical commission”.
Sauer receives support from the left: Sven Malsy, the city councilor, even calls for a “complete review” of all Offenbach street names. As a proposal for a new name, he throws Raymonde Tillon into the ring – a communist resistance fighter from Offenbach’s twin town Puteaux.
The FDP parliamentary group leader Dominik Schwagereit refuses to be renamed. Street names are “evidence of history” and “to be seen in their time”. The group manager of the Offenbach CDU, Anja Fröhlich, suggests to discuss the topic in the street name group: “We advise against making quick decisions due to heated daily debates.” Frank Grobe, cultural policy spokesman for the AfD group in the Hessian state parliament, expressed concern about proposals to change Bismarck monuments and street names: nobody was “completely free from misconduct”. There was a “cultural struggle” that wanted to “separate the Germans from their identity”.
More information about the petition: bit.ly/2YE82TE.
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