The German Colonial Society (Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft) was the largest and most influential society of the German colonial movement with 42.000 members strong. It existed from 1882 until 1943, even when it was incorporated in the “Reichskolonialverbund” as from 1933. The most important aspect of the Society's public activities were the lectures, which even in the 1880ies were effectively illustrated by its guest speakers using glass plate positive slides. This formed the foundation of the Society's own collection of photographs. The collection provides information on the Society's supporters, the activities of the German colonial movement in general, and documents German colonial history. The entire collection comprises approx. 55.000 items, about 30 pictures are from the Dikwa region of Borno.

The main emphasis is on expeditions and scientific trips, geology and mining, vegetation and local agriculture, countryside and animal studies, the settlement activities of local and white people, schools and missions, traditional commerce and transport, introduction of modern means of transport (docks, railway, roads), the economic development by Europeans, peace-keeping forces and rebellions. The same themes are also covered for colonies in other states in Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania.

You will find the pictures in the Internet (http://www.ub.bildarchiv-dkg.uni-frankfurt.de/). It is possible to search with English keywords.

The two pictures presented here, are addressed as “Häuptling von Bornu” (014-3002-10) CD/3317/2014/0946/3317_2014_0946_0039 and “Sultan Sanda von Bornu” (014-3002-02) CD/3317/2014/0946/3317_2014_0946_0031

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