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The album. Coming to terms with colonial family history - but how? - Traveling exhibition
From January and February 2026, the exhibition "The Album. Reappraising colonial family history - but how?" will be presented in the foyer of the deanery building (Altes Kloster | Mensa). The exhibition focuses on colonial photographs and image archives from a very personal perspective - namely one's own family history - and takes a critical approach to racism.
On Friday, January 23 at 2 p.m., Nicolai Messerschmidt will give a tour of the exhibition and talk about his experiences with the exhibition and the process of creating it. Afterwards there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion.
What: Exhibition "The Album. Coming to terms with colonial family history - but how?"
When? January - February 2026
January 23 at 2 p.m. Tour with Nicolai Messerschmidt
Where? 1st floor FOYER
DEKANATSGEBÄUDE
ALTES KLOSTER | MENSA
UNI CAMPUS
STEINSTR. 19
37213 WITZENHAUSEN
Theodor Schneemann's colonial legacy
"Even as a child, my family told me stories about
my great-great-grandfather. Theodor Schneemannwas a soldierfrom 1903 to 1910
in the colony of German East Africa - the present-day states of
Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda.However,the violence of colonial rule or
the Maji Maji uprising were never mentioned in the stories.
Among other things, he left behind an album with over a hundred photographs fromthe
colonial era.
Due to the public debate about how to deal with
colonial history, I quickly realized that these photosmust be made accessibleto the
public.At the same time, a sensitive approach to
image sources from contexts of injusticeisnecessary. This exhibition attempts to meet both
requirements. How can wesuccessfullycome to terms with the
past? Which voices need to be heard, which images
need tobe seen and which objectsneed tobe returned?"
- Nicolai Messerschmitt
Further information on the exhibition