I attended a webinar that hosted a conversation with Katharina Warda. Katharina Warda is a sociologist, literary scholar, and freelance writer who focuses on East Germany, marginalized identities, racism, classism, and punk. In her project Dunkeldeutschland (Dark Germany), she explores the post-reunification period from the social margins. In addition, she illuminates blind spots in German historiography based on her experiences as a Black East German woman in the GDR and after 1989/90.
Her description of the subtle differences in racism in East and West Germany was fascinating. She talked about how racism existed at different levels. Institutional racism was most prominent. Migrant laborers of color were subjected to spatial and social isolation. They were kept in buildings on the outskirts of East Germany, away from the white Germans. Racism amongst the population and within communities was also very evident. However, everyday racism and race-based violence were something that was often overlooked. Although racism was abolished, it existed in indirect ways. For instance, POCs were considered lazy and untrustworthy. They were called ‘knife men’ and rapists. Chasing migrants from public spaces and throwing them into the village river were considered a sport. What struck me the most from these descriptions was how similar it was to the racism that exists today. These incidents from the 1970s don’t seem that distant, as police brutality and institutional racism continue to exist.
What I found most interesting was Katherina Wards’s struggle to come to terms with her identity. She talked about experiencing double invisibility- being black and East German- two marginalized identities in Germany. Living in Germany as a Black East German woman meant that her opinions, ideas, and advocacy were often not taken seriously. However, through research, conversations, and readings of her history, she has been able to learn more about and connect with her identity. This inspires her to continue advocating for German POCs and work to fill the blind spots in German history.
This sounds like a super interesting and important talk. It’s interesting from a sociological how a marginalized community (East Germany) found ways to further segregate and oppress POC despite the devastating separation of East from West Berlin. I would be curious in learning more about how the punk movement intersected with these themes. Were POC heavily involved in the punk scene? How were racial, gender, and national identities expressed within these spaces?