Cologne street renaming: Came now about the colonial heritage!

Cologne street renaming: Came now about the colonial heritage!

Ehrenfeld, Deutschland - In Cologne-Ehrenfeld, history will soon be rewritten. The Gravenreuth and Wißmannstrasse are to be renamed, and the population has the opportunity to have a say in the choice of new street names. The background to this renaming is an expert opinion commissioned by the city and illuminates the "extensive colonial violence" of the two namesake Karl von Gravenreuth and Hermann von Wißmann. Both were active in "German-East Africa" ​​in the 19th century and brought considerable suffering about the population there, such as ksta.de.

The residents voted for the renaming in the event of a public participation last year. The working group of the Ehrenfeld district representatives has developed outstanding proposals. As of today until June 14th, Cologne citizens can vote on the urban participation portal "opinionfuer.koeln".

suggestions for new street names

For Gravenreuthstrasse, the following names are available:

• Albert Richter - cyclist, murdered by the Gestapo
• Moritz Spiro - victim of the pogrom night
• Friederike Greven - resistance fighter
• Cilly Servé - resistance fighter
• Klara Caro - founder of the Jewish Women's Association
• Mevlüde Genc - survivor of the arson attack by Solingen

The suggestions for Wißmannstrasse include:

• Theodor Wonja Michael - contemporary witness of National Socialism
• Mohammed Husen-child soldier and victim of the Nazi regime
• Manga-Bell-King of Cameroon, executed for resistance
• Fasia Jansen - political songwriter
• Audre Lorde-American writer and activist
• Kenny Clarke-Bop drummer with connection to the jazz club "Loft"

A step to deal with colonial past

The renaming is part of a comprehensive project to process Cologne's colonial heritage, which has been in full swing since 2021. In addition to the two streets, a further 1,200 street names in Cologne are checked for their colonial or National Socialist references, as wdr.de. This is how Lerschstraße and other streets can be criticized.

A look at similar debates in other countries shows that dealing with colonial heritage not only concerns Germany. In Great Britain, the removal of statues, such as those of the slave dealer Edward Colston, led to intensive discussions about racism and historical awareness. Anti-racism activists also call for the assessment of monuments and street names. The social sensitization for the topic has grown accordingly, reports Deutschlandfunk.de.

The coordination of renaming not only gives the Cologne voice in street politics, but also sets an important sign of a more responsible historical awareness in the city. It remains exciting which new names will ultimately find the consent of the citizens and what impulses this will give for the discussion about colonial legacy in Cologne and beyond.