ANTI-COLONIALISM

At the time of the First World War, countries from both sides of the conflict in Europe controlled around 84% of the globe, including the Americas, Australia and parts of Africa and Asia. Colonialism – the process of political, social and economic domination of one country by a foreign power, embedded in a racist worldview of European superiority – had reached its peak after centuries of European expansionism.

The First World War was fought on many fronts beyond Europe – from the Middle East to sub-Saharan Africa to the South Pacific – and millions of colonial soldiers and labourers served in the conflict. The repercussions of the war also travelled around the globe with the collapse of empires and the triggering of political instability. But this era also spawned a new generation of activists who sought to bring an end to the injustice of colonialism, brought so clearly into relief by the First World War.

Hans Paasche & Mdachi bin Sharifu

Activists against injustice in Germany

Hans Paasche and Mdachi bin Sharifu met and worked together in Berlin around the time of the First World War. Hans was a former German Imperial military officer; Mdachi was from the German colony of Tanganyika in East Africa and working for the German colonial office. They collaborated on a common cause: to challenge imperialism, militarism and social injustice.