On Sunday, September 27th, a coalition of non-governmental organisations invited round for the concerted action “DECOLONIZE MÜNCHEN – Kolonialstraßen umbenennen” (english: decolonzie Munich – rename colonial streets). It started at 10 am at the end of Von-Erkert-Platz in Trudering, an urban district of Munich.

Activists of different groups spoke at the microphone on the origin on the so-called colonial districts and elucidated German colonial history. They share the conviction of a strong no against of a tribute of being names on street signs for mass murderers and where massacres took place. There are 20 people, they all keep their distance from each other and wear masks.

The concerted action is accompanied by an art installation at the colonial street signs. There are various stops at street signs first around Trudering and later around Bogenhausen. The art installation is set up, the background of the naming of the street sign is explained and the installation is taken down again.

Red liquid dripping from disposable gloves filled with more red liquid, red ribbons and a small sign reading “mass murderer” are attached to the street signs, to make visible what those street names stand for.

At 2pm the concerted action continues in Bogenhausen. About 50 people are gathere at corner of Nettlebeckstraße and Lüderitzstraße. Representatives of the inviting organizations talk at the microphone, but also Thomas Lechner, Marion Lüttig und Stefan Jagel, city councilors that represent citizens of Munich at city hall.

The organisations that invited to the concerted action: Afrojugend München, Arbeitskreis Panafrikanismus München, Black Lives Matter München, Migrationsbeirat der Landeshauptstadt München, [muc] münchen postkolonial, N-Wort Stoppen Initiative, MORGEN e.V. das Netzwerk Münchner Migrantenorganisationen, Netzwerk Rassismus- und Diskriminierungsfreies Bayern and ISD, Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland.