The German colonial period (1884-1920) led and still leads to immense losses of lives, land, resources and sovereignty. To this day, thousands of human remains that were gathered in colonial exploits all over the world can be found in German museums and archives. For many descendants, the continued storage of their ancestors without the consent of the deceased or their families and without proper burial remains a pressing concern.

In this episode, ECCHR’s Michael Bader and Sarah Imani are joined by activist Mnyaka Sururu Mboro (Berlin Postkolonial) and curator and artist Anguezomo Nzé Mboulou Mba Bikoro to discuss the posthumous right to human dignity, the importance of legal restitution, and creating a space for mourning. How can artistic and legal activism support each other in accounting for Germany’s violent colonial history and dismantling enduring structures of colonial oppression?

⁠Read on for more information and the report We want them back by Isabelle Reimann.⁠