Afro-Germans during WW1

[Jonah]

Figured I would try to shed some light on a lesser known part of history that has been lost through the ages... Originally I posted this in response to a number of cacs complaining about African's being included on the germans side of Battlefield 1. Dug a fair bit into the history and found some rather interesting facts that have been lesser known to people outside of germany. Considering I am also of german blood (along with my hispanic & African American heritage) I had a fascination with this aspect of history.

While from the 1930s+ were a racist clusterfukk in germany, its important to note that Afro-Germans did play an important role in WW1, This history should be retold as while they may not be related to us through blood, they still come from the home of our ancestors and share the same heritage.

Original Reddit post of shown picture

Information including proper translation found on site cited below, also was mentioned by redditor in thread above

Josef Mambo (born in 1885 in Tanga, East Africa) was brought to Germany as a child and later served as the kettle drummer in the 3rd Prussian Horse Grenadiers ("Grenadier Regiment zu Pferde 'Freiherr von Derfflinger' Nr. 3"). During the First World War he was promoted through the ranks to Sergeant and was twice wounded, once in Russia and once at Verdun. After the war he took part in the German African Exhibition of the late 1930s where he was interviewed about his life: *"Mambo, that was the name of the black man we talked to. He told us of his native lands, which he left when he was a child. In the year 1897 he was brought to Dresden by a baron from Alsace and brought up as a foster child. He never saw East Africa again. Instead Mambo reached a certain grade of fame in Germany, because from 1904 to 1913 he was the drummer of the mounted grenadier regiment in Bromberg, to which he was assigned by the Kaiser for the regiment's 200th anniversary. When the World War started, Mambo first went to Russia and then to France with his old regiment. The Iron Cross second class and Wound Medal show that he fulfilled his duty during the war."

Translated by from "Die Deutsche Afrika-Schau (1935-1940)" by Susann Lewerenz on the Axis History Forum

Here are some others

Unknown WW1 German military squad with unidentified afro-german soldier

"Elo Wilhelm Sambo (1885-1933) was born in Jaounde, Cameroon. I have not fund out how he got to Germany but he was endorsed as a godson of Kaiser Wilhelm II. He joined the Prussian army in 1905 ("Eisenbahnregiment Nr. 1") but in 1907 was transferred to the Life Guard Hussars ("Leib-Garde Husaren Regiment") and trained as their kettle drummer. He served with this regiment during the First World War and after the war with the Reichswehr's 4th Mounted Regiment ("Reiterregiment Nr. 4") until 1923. He later lived in Cologne where he joined carnival societies such as "Rote Funken" and later "Blaue Funken" as a kettle drummer for the Carnival Monday Processions. He died 1933 and was buried on the Southern Cemetery ("Südfriedhof") in Cologne. Kaiser Wilhelm sent a wreath for the funeral."

"Ben Aissa was born in Morocco in about 1887. He was employed as a servant to guide Kaiser Wilhelm II's horse through Tangiers on a visit in 1905. During this tour he was befriended by the Kaiser and was invited to visit Berlin the following year and in 1907 to move to Germany. He joined the band of the elite 1st Prussian Foot Guards ("1. Garde-Regiment zu Fuß"). He continued to served with them during the First World War. In 1917-18 he served with the Asienkorps in Palestine. After demobilisation in 1919 he returned home to Morocco"

"Kwassi Bruce (born in 1893 in Togo) was brought to Germany at the age of three by his father, JC Bruce (born Nayo Friko) as part of a 100 strong group of African contract workers. These men were brought to Berlin in 1896 from all over the German colonies in Africa to participate in the first German Colonial Exhibition held between April and November 1896. Kwassi made his living as a pianist in Berlin and during the First World War volunteered for service. He saw action on the Western Front where he was captured and spent two years in an allied Prisoner of War camp. It is possible that the photograph of a German African being captured by French troops shown on the Axis History Forum is Kwassi. After the war he returned to work as a pianist in Berlin. See his letter quoted below about the hardships born by African Germans after the Nazi Party came to power."

"Heipold Jansen (born in 1893 in Duala, Cameroon) lived in Germany and was a Vizefeldwebel in the Prussian Army during the First World War. He later served in the Freikorps against the Spartacus Rebellion in Berlin. It may be him in the famous photograph seen on the Axis History Forum often mis-titled as being a loyal East African in Munich."

"Alexander Ndoumbe Duala Manga Bell (born in Duala, Cameroon 1897-1966) of Duala Royalty was educated in Berlin and Kiel and served briefly in the German Army. When the First World War broke out he was in Germany. According to "The Royal Pretender" (by Joseph Richard) he fought in the German army during the war. His father Rudolf Duala Manga Bell, was executed in Cameroon August in August 1914 for plotting a rebellion against German rule. After the war he home and later became Cameroon's first elected representative in Paris under the new French rule of Cameroon During the Second World War he served in the army in Senegal which was aligned with Vichy. In the 1950s he represented Cameroon in the French National Assembly."

"Johannes Arra Mensa from Togo trained at the Prussian Military Academy in Potsdam. No other details are known about him."

Works Cited: Africans serving in the Imperial German Army *more information on the site including many other soldiers that I have not posted*
Axis History forum thread
Pickelhaubes forum thread archive

Books Cited: Black Germany: The Making and Unmaking of a Diaspora Community, 1884-1960 Amazon [Link] Research gate [link]
Germany's Colonial Pasts Amazon [Link] Research gate [link]


if I come across any new information, I will add to this thread as I see fit.

 

[hashmander]

germany had colonies in africa too, so this shouldn't really be a surprise.

 

[southpawstyle]

Spoiler

"Mapquest, you motherfukker."

 

[Gains]

germany had colonies in africa too, so this shouldn't really be a surprise.

Imperialist powers conscripted from their colonies

 

[mbewane]

Somehow the fact that Germany had colonies in Africa was lost in history books. I mean their first genocide was in Namibia. II think there's still places where German is taught due to historical reasons. But yeah they got beat quick and historically german expansionims has always been continental, as opposed to overseas as with France, the UK, Portugal, etc.

 

[Jonah]

germany had colonies in africa too, so this shouldn't really be a surprise.

The colonial army Germany had was separate from the imperial army. Basically, as far as any german was concerned, these Afro-Germans were pretty much held in a much higher status and were treated fairly well.

German Colonial Army info

Anyway, Ima just leave this picture up as I have very little information on it and am curious about the history of where it came from and who it is.

along with another WW2 photo of Afro-Germans

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Way to throw some new knowledge out there.

 

[African Peasant]

Somehow the fact that Germany had colonies in Africa was lost in history books. I mean their first genocide was in Namibia. II think there's still places where German is taught due to historical reasons. But yeah they got beat quick and historically german expansionims has always been continental, as opposed to overseas as with France, the UK, Portugal, etc.

Yep. You can say that Germany was trying to run the colonization game in Europe, especially in WW II.