African American soldiers in Europe 1940s

During the Cold War, numerous African American soldiers were stationed in US military bases in West Germany. Their stay in West Germany was an empowering experience for them, as public spaces were not segregated as they were where they came from in the USA. Some of these soldiers engaged in intimate relationships with German women. They also helped spread US American popular music among young West Germans. However, their life in West Germany was not bereft of problems: Interracial couples were often met with loud criticism in West Germany and the USA. Books by Maria Hoehn, Heide Fehrenbach and Martin Klimke and Maria Hoehn contain nuanced analyses of the history of African American soldiers in Europe. The photo comes from the Digital Archive for the History of the Civil Rights Struggle, African-American GIs, and Germany, directed by Maria Hoehn and Martin Klimke. We would like to thank the Docu Center Ramstein for granting us permission to use this photograph as part of the exhibition.

Photo: (Walter Matheis), Docu Center Ramstein.