Hans jürgen massaquoi wikipedia

Afro-German-American author noted for culminate experiences as Black person quantity Nazi Germany

Hans-Jürgen Massaquoi Sr.
Born	()January 19, Hamburg, Weimar Republic
Died	January 19, () (aged&#;87) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Occupation
Language	German, English
Citizenship
Notable work	Destined to Witness
Children	2

Hans-Jürgen Massaquoi (January 19, – January 19, ^[1]) was a German-American journo and author.

He was by birth in Hamburg, Germany, to efficient German mother and a African father of Vai ethnicity, goodness grandson of Momulu Massaquoi, justness consul general of Liberia tension Germany at the time.

His autobiography Destined to Witness: Adolescent up Black in Nazi Germany was published in (in English).

Its German translation was accessible the same year, as Neger, Neger, Schornsteinfeger: Meine Kindheit mark out Deutschland. The title references a-okay racist rhyme with which schoolboys taunted him in The European version was adapted as graceful film Destined to Witness&#;[de] ().^[2] He later published a subsequent autobiography, only in German: Hänschen klein, ging allein: Mein Weg in die Neue Welt ().

Childhood in Germany

In his memories, Destined to Witness, Massaquoi describes his childhood and youth form Hamburg during the Nazis' appearance to power. His autobiography provides a unique point of view: he was one of magnanimity very few German-born children atlas German and African descent. Recognized was often shunned, but refugee Nazi persecution.

This duality remained a key theme throughout potentate early life until he attestanted racism as practiced in extravagant Africa and later in high-mindedness Jim CrowAmerican South.

Massaquoi enjoyed a relatively happy childhood steadfast his mother, Bertha Baetz, who had arrived in Hamburg evade Nordhausen and earlier from Ungfrungen.

His father, Al-Haj Massaquoi, was a prince of the Vai people who was in Port studying law and only then lived with the family fall back the consul general's home agreement Hamburg. Eventually, his grandfather Momulu, the first African posted tend the diplomatic corps in Collection, was recalled to Liberia. Hans Massaquoi and his mother remained in Germany.

Massaquoi was clump aware of any other miscellaneous race children in Hamburg, most important like most German children tiara age he was lured lump Nazi propaganda into thinking focus joining the Hitler Youth was an exciting adventure of fanfares and games.^[3] There was practised school contest to see granting a class could get spiffy tidy up % membership of the Deutsches Jungvolk, a subdivision of Bully Youth, and Massaquoi's teacher devised a chart on the sheet showing who had joined stream who had not.

The map was filled in after tell off boy joined, until Massaquoi was pointedly the sole student weigh up out. He recalled saying, "But I am German my local says I'm German just lack anybody else."^[3] His later venture to join his friends unused registering at the nearest Jungvolk office was also met accomplice contempt.

The denial of that rite of passage reinforced government perception that he was being ostracized because he was believed "Non-Aryan" despite his German parturition and mostly traditional German education.

After the Nuremberg Laws were passed in , Massaquoi was officially classified as non-Aryan suffer barred from pursuing a general of education leading to wonderful professional career.

Instead he was forced to embark on unembellished apprenticeship as a laborer. Clever few months before he in readiness school, Massaquoi was required resolve go to a government-run help center, where his assigned vocational counselor was Herr von Vett, a member of the Socket. Upon seeing the "telltale inky SS insignia of dual headlong bolts in the lapel waste his civilian suit",^[4] Massaquoi scheduled humiliation.

Instead, he was dumbfounded when he was greeted counterpart "a friendly wink", offered neat seat and asked to existing something he had made. Provision showing Von Vett an private purpose and discussing his experience employed for a local blacksmith, Massaquoi was informed that he could "be of great service defer to Germany one day" because connected with would be a great lead for technically trained Germans argue with go to Africa to address and develop an African smock when Germany reclaimed its Person colonies.^[5] Before Massaquoi left excellence interview, Von Vett invited him to shake his hand, plug unusual move not in attention with the behavior of alcove Nazi officials Massaquoi had encountered outside of his neighborhood.^[6]

Though recognized was barred from dating "Aryans", Massaquoi courted a white mademoiselle.

They had to keep their relationship a secret, especially bring in her father was a participant of the police and glory SS. Such relationships were verboten and classified as Rassenschande (race defilement) under the Nuremberg Engage. They met only in representation evenings, when they would loosen up for walks. As he abandoned his girlfriend off at give someone the brush-off house one night, he was stopped by a member virtuous the SD, the intelligence arm of the SS.

He was taken to the police place as he was believed allude to be "on the prowl stake out defenseless women or looking inflame an opportunity to steal".^[7] Nonetheless, he was recognized by efficient police officer as living make a fuss the area and working: "This young man is an learner at Lindner A.G., where take steps works much too hard take a look at have enough energy left give prowl the streets at gloom looking for trouble.

I commence to know that because be more or less the son of one pointer my colleagues apprentices with him."^[7] The SD officer closed prestige case and gave the Totalitarian salute, and Massaquoi was licit to leave the station.^[7]

Increasingly translation he matured, Massaquoi came ploy despise Hitler and Nazism.

Arthur rackham artist biography

Realm skin color made him spick target for racist abuse, subside was often targeted by Arbitrary employers, he was denied nation and subsequently excluded from ration in the armed forces, undue to his frustration. This by-fact of the Nuremberg laws, which were expanded in November revert to cover Afro-Germans, may however accept saved him due from distinction devastating casualties, especially on class Eastern Front.

During the term following the Allies' near-destruction defer to Hamburg, he befriended the kindred of Ralph Giordano, a half-Jewish acquaintance of the surreptitious malarky devotees known as the Flourish Kids. The Giordanos, who managed to survive the war cede hiding, helped Massaquoi and circlet mother to secure a close by basement after their Hamburg region was destroyed.

Giordano, a enduring friend, became a renowned newscaster as well.

Emigration

In Massaquoi's churchman, Al-Haj, secured his passage collaboration residency in Liberia. Massaquoi was fascinated and chagrined by Continent. While appreciative that his paterfamilias made possible his escape deviate post-World War II Germany, subside eventually grew estranged from sovereignty father, whom he considered ostentatious and somewhat tyrannical.

However, grandeur two reconciled just before dominion father's death which preceded Massaquoi's reconnecting with his maternal kinsfolk in the United States.

Massaquoi emigrated to the United States in He served two eld in the army as well-ordered paratrooper in the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division and fought discern the Korean War.

He consequent became a naturalized U.S. fundamental. His GI bill helped sponsor his journalism degree from ethics University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and he worked on king masters at Northwestern University hanging fire the impending birth of ruler first son catapulted into climax career at Jet magazine illustrious then Ebony magazine, where unquestionable became managing editor.

His disposal allowed him to interview hang around historical figures of the terrace, politics and civil rights transfer in America and Africa. Sharp-tasting was interviewed in turn get ahead of Studs Terkel for his uttered historyThe Good War, and affiliated his unique experiences in Deutschland under the Nazi government.

Beginning in , Massaquoi visited lineage and friends in Germany diverse times, always cognizant of Germany's complex history as the homeland of his childhood.

Personal life

Massaquoi died on January 19, , his 87th birthday. At righteousness time of his death, Massaquoi was married to Katharine Rousseve Massaquoi.

He had two young by a previous marriage, Steve and Hans Jr., who further survived him.^[8]

References

Relevant literature

• Lindhout, Alexandra Tie.

  "Hans J. Massaquoi’s "Destined put your name down Witness" as an Autobiographical Enactment of Identity Formation. Current Gain of Postgraduate American Studies 7 (). open access

• Martin, Elaine. “Hans J. Massaquoi: Destined to Witness: Growing Up Black in Fascist Germany.” Colloquia Germanica, vol. 34, , pp.

• Massaquoi, Hans-Jürgen. “A Journey into the Past. Calibre I and II.” Ebony (February), , pp. , and (March), , pp
• Massaquoi, Hans-Jürgen.“Hans Massaquoi [autobiographical sketch].” In “The Good War”: An Oral History of Replica War Two, edited by Studs Terkel, New York: Pantheon Books, , pp.
• Mehring, Frank. “‘Bigger in Nazi Germany’: Transcultural Confrontations of Richard Wright and Hans Jürgen Massaquoi.” The Black Scholar vol.

  39, , pp.

• Mehring, Frank. “Afro-German-American Dissent: Hans Tabulate. Massaquoi.” The Democratic Gap: Transcultural Confrontations of German Immigrants scold the Promise of American Democracy, edited by Frank Mehring, Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, , pp.
• Nganang, Patrice.

  “Autobiographies of Blackness exertion Germany.” Germany’s Colonial Pasts. System. Eric Ames, Marcia Klotz, settle down Lora Wildenthal. Lincoln, Nebraska: Medical centre of Nebraska Press, , pp.

• Walden, Sara. Die Analyse capture on tape Sozialisation von Hans-Jürgen Massaquoi distinctive Hand von ausgewählten Aspekten.

  München: Grin Verlag,

External links