German Colonial Society

The German Colonial Society, or Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft (DKG), was a German organization established in Berlin on 19 December 1887 to promote an expansive German colonial policy. It emerged from the merger of two earlier organizations: the German Colonial Association, founded in Frankfurt in 1882, and the Society for German Colonization, founded in 1884. The merger brought together political, commercial, and propagandistic efforts in support of German overseas expansion at a time when the German Empire was developing colonies in Africa and the Pacific. The Society’s principal purpose was political advocacy rather than commercial production. It sought to strengthen public and parliamentary support for the acquisition, maintenance, and expansion of German colonies. Its activities were closely connected with the broader imperial and nationalist environment of the German Empire. The organization cooperated with the Pan-German League and counted prominent political figures and colonial advocates among its leaders, including Hermann, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and Carl Peters. Several members of the Reichstag were also associated with its leadership or work. The DKG quickly became one of the most important institutional voices for German colonialism. It reportedly had approximately 15,000 members at the time of its formation, and membership had grown to about 42,000 by 1914. This expansion reflected the Society’s ability to mobilize sections of the German public around imperial themes, including overseas settlement, economic opportunity, military and naval power, and national prestige. Its activities formed part of the wider colonial propaganda environment that presented empire as beneficial to Germany while marginalizing or obscuring the coercive nature of colonial rule and the experiences of colonized peoples. The Society also operated through affiliated bodies. These included the Kolonialwirtschaftliches Komitee, established in 1896, the Hauptverband deutscher Flottenvereine im Ausland, established in 1898, and the Frauenbund der deutschen Kolonialgesellschaft, established in 1907. These connections linked colonial advocacy with economic organizations, naval interests, overseas German communities, and women’s participation in colonial associations. In 1900, the DKG took over the Deutsches Kolonialmuseum, a recently established museum that supported the presentation and popularization of Germany’s colonial project. During the First World War, the Society continued to advocate a more ambitious imperial future. From 1916, it participated in plans for a large German colonial empire in Africa, often referred to as Deutsch-Mittelafrika, together with proposed annexations or other territorial gains in East Asia. Germany’s defeat in 1918 and the loss of its colonies did not end the organization’s political purpose. Instead, the DKG propagated the demand that Germany recover its former colonies and continued to defend colonial revisionism during the interwar period. The organization’s existence ended under National Socialist rule. After the Nazi seizure of power, the regime determined that colonial propaganda should be placed under a new body controlled directly by the state and the Nazi movement. On 13 June 1936, the German Colonial Society was dissolved. Colonial advocacy was subsequently assigned to the Reichskolonialbund. The DKG was therefore not a contemporary consumer brand or commercial enterprise, but a historical pressure group and propaganda organization whose importance lies in the development of German imperial ideology and the public defense of colonial rule.

The German Colonial Society was created on 19 December 1887 through the merger of the German Colonial Association and the Society for German Colonization. The first organization had been established in Frankfurt in 1882, while the second was founded in 1884. Their union consolidated Germany’s principal organized efforts to promote colonial expansion and gave the colonial movement a larger national platform. Headquartered in Berlin, the Society operated in the political and cultural environment of the German Empire. It sought to persuade politicians and the wider public that Germany required a more expansive colonial policy. Its advocacy combined imperial prestige, economic claims, overseas settlement, naval power, and national competition with other European empires. The Society worked closely with the Pan-German League and was connected to prominent colonial and nationalist figures. Among the leaders associated with it were Hermann, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, Carl Peters, and several members of parliament. The organization had a substantial membership base. At its formation it reportedly had about 15,000 members, and by 1914 that figure had risen to approximately 42,000. Its influence was reinforced by a network of affiliated associations. The Kolonialwirtschaftliches Komitee, founded in 1896, connected colonial advocacy with economic interests. The Hauptverband deutscher Flottenvereine im Ausland, established in 1898, linked the cause to naval and overseas German networks. The Frauenbund der deutschen Kolonialgesellschaft, founded in 1907, provided an institutional channel for women’s participation in colonial work. The Society also helped shape public representations of colonialism. In 1900 it took over the Deutsches Kolonialmuseum, which had only recently been established. Museums and related educational activities allowed colonial advocates to present Germany’s overseas possessions, products, peoples, and political claims to domestic audiences. Such representations served the Society’s propagandistic purpose and reflected the unequal power relations of European colonialism. The First World War intensified the Society’s expansionist ambitions. From 1916, it supported plans for a much larger African colonial structure called Deutsch-Mittelafrika and considered proposed annexations in East Asia. These plans belonged to a broader wartime program for territorial enlargement. Germany’s defeat brought the loss of its colonies, but the Society did not abandon its objectives. In the postwar period it campaigned for the reoccupation or restoration of Germany’s former colonies, contributing to colonial revisionism during the Weimar era. The organization was ultimately subordinated to the political changes of the Nazi period. After the Nazi Party came to power, the regime decided that colonial propaganda should be transferred to a new organization under direct Nazi control. The German Colonial Society was dissolved on 13 June 1936, and the Reichskolonialbund became the principal vehicle for colonial propaganda. The DKG’s history therefore spans the consolidation of German imperial advocacy, the expansionist plans of the First World War, interwar demands for colonial restoration, and the eventual absorption of colonial propaganda into the Nazi state’s organizational system.

• 1936

  Society dissolved

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The German Colonial Society was dissolved on 13 June 1936, after the Nazi regime transferred colonial propaganda to the Reichskolonialbund.

• 1916

  Plans for Deutsch-Mittelafrika promoted

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Society participated in plans for a larger German colonial empire in Africa and for territorial expansion in East Asia.

• 1914

  Membership reaches approximately 42,000

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Society’s membership reportedly grew to about 42,000 by the start of the First World War.

• 1907

  Women’s colonial association established

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Frauenbund der deutschen Kolonialgesellschaft was founded as an affiliated organization.

• 1900

  Deutsches Kolonialmuseum transferred to Society control

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Society took over the recently founded Deutsches Kolonialmuseum, expanding its role in colonial education and public presentation.

• 1898

  Naval association affiliated with the Society

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Hauptverband deutscher Flottenvereine im Ausland was established as an affiliated body, connecting colonial advocacy with overseas German and naval networks.

• 1896

  Kolonialwirtschaftliches Komitee established

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  An economic committee affiliated with the Society was established, linking colonial advocacy with commercial and economic interests.

• 1887

  German Colonial Society formed

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The two predecessor organizations merged on 19 December 1887 to create the German Colonial Society, headquartered in Berlin.

• 1884

  Society for German Colonization founded

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The Society for German Colonization was created and later merged with the German Colonial Association.

• 1882

  German Colonial Association founded

  [1]German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The German Colonial Association was established in Frankfurt, becoming one of the predecessor organizations of the German Colonial Society.

A political, cultural, and propaganda organization advocating German colonial expansion, overseas interests, and the restoration of Germany’s lost colonial empire.

• Advocacy for German colonial expansion

  Germany · German colonial territories

  The Society’s central long-term campaign promoted a more expansive German colonial policy through political cooperation, public advocacy, affiliated organizations, and colonial cultural institutions.

  Outcome. The organization became an influential colonial pressure group, although Germany lost its colonies after the First World War.

  Source
• Campaign for restoration of Germany’s colonies

  Germany

  After Germany’s defeat in the First World War, the Society continued to advocate the recovery or reoccupation of the former German colonies.

  Outcome. The campaign did not restore Germany’s colonial empire and continued until the Society was dissolved in 1936.

  Source

• 1936

  Dissolve the Society and transfer colonial propagandaOther

  Background

  The Nazi regime sought to place colonial advocacy under an organization directly controlled by the state and the Nazi movement.

  Action taken

  The German Colonial Society was dissolved on 13 June 1936, while the Reichskolonialbund was assigned the colonial propaganda function.

  Aftermath

  The DKG ceased to exist as an independent organization.

  Source

• 1916

  Support a larger postwar colonial empireStrategy

  Background

  The First World War created an opportunity for German imperial groups to formulate plans for territorial expansion.

  Action taken

  The Society supported plans for an African colonial structure known as Deutsch-Mittelafrika and proposed gains in East Asia.

  Aftermath

  Germany’s defeat and the loss of its colonies prevented these plans from being realized.

  Source

• 1900

  Take over the Deutsches KolonialmuseumStrategy

  Background

  The Society sought to influence public understanding of German colonialism through educational and cultural institutions.

  Action taken

  It assumed control of the recently founded Deutsches Kolonialmuseum.

  Aftermath

  The museum became part of the Society’s broader colonial propaganda and public-education infrastructure.

  Source

• 1887

  Merge the two principal German colonial organizationsM&A

  Background

  The German Colonial Association and the Society for German Colonization had developed separately during the early growth of German colonial advocacy.

  Action taken

  The organizations merged on 19 December 1887 to form the German Colonial Society.

  Aftermath

  The merger created a larger, nationally oriented body headquartered in Berlin and reportedly brought together approximately 15,000 members.

  Source

1. 1German Colonial Societyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2German Colonial Society image holdingsub.uni-frankfurt.de