Diverse perspectives on memory

The importance of reflecting on colonial history will be demonstrated by the Frauenpolitische Rat Land Brandenburg e.V., Patricia Vester, guest lecturer and consultant for decolonial contexts, and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) on Wednesday, 9 July, from 5 to 7 pm. Academics, cultural workers and all interested parties will inaugurate the 50th Women's Places in Brandenburg plaque commemorating the history of Bilillee Machbuba at the Cottbus main campus at Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 6-9. The guests will be welcomed by BTU President Prof. Dr Gesine Grande together with Patricia Vester, guest lecturer and consultant for decolonial contexts, and Elio Gäbelein, project manager for FrauenOrte im Land Brandenburg at the Frauenpolitischer Rat Land Brandenburg. They invite you to an open discussion about the modern culture of remembrance. The inauguration will be accompanied by a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

BTU President Prof. Dr Gesine Grande: "People from 126 countries around the world study here today. Almost half of our students have an international background. Almost 40 per cent of them are female. Internationalisation, equality and diversity are among our basic principles. Bilillee Machbuba's panel encourages our students to discuss biographies in the context of colonial violence, European politics of remembrance and history and power relations. Her plaque is to be systematically integrated into teaching formats, walks, project work and discussions, triggering transdisciplinary questions and linking overarching themes such as criticism of racism, decolonisation and gender equality. This 50th Women's Place is therefore something special - also because Bililee Machbuba is the first black woman to whom such a place has been dedicated."

Patricia Vester, illustrator, museum consultant critical of colonialism and guest lecturer: "The Women's Place for Bililee Machbuba is an important step for the visibility and presence of Black history in public space. Black, BIPoC, migrant and marginalised lives need more visibility. Their voices must not be missing from the narrative of German history. They are part of this history."

Elio Gäbelein, project manager of FrauenOrte in the state of Brandenburg: "We've made it: there are now 50 FrauenOrte in the state of Brandenburg! For us, this is a reason to celebrate. At the same time, this anniversary provides an opportunity for critical reflection: What stories are we telling? Who is being forgotten? The history of Black people has not been addressed enough so far. We want to change that. We are happy to receive information about other Black or migrant Brandenburg women in history."

The story of Bilillee Machbuba tells of enslavement and resistance. Born around 1825 in Abyssinia in what is now Ethiopia, she was abducted and enslaved as a child. Prince Herrmann von Pückler-Muskau, then aged 52, bought her in 1837. He called her "Machbuba" and presented her to European aristocrats on his travels. The FrauenOrt is intended to raise questions:

• How did Bilillee experience this time?
• Where did she get the self-confidence with which she confronted Pückler?
• And how do we remember her today?

Programme

5 p.m. Greetings
Prof. Dr p.h. habil. Gesine Grande, President of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
Patricia Vester, guest lecturer and consultant for decolonial contexts
Elio Gäbelein, Women's Political Council of the State of Brandenburg

17:30 Unveiling of the plaque and presentation of the student room design

17:45 Open discussion: Critical remembrance culture at the BTU and in Cottbus
Dr Gabriela Willbold, initiator of Black remembrance culture on Bilillee
Dr Stefan Körner, board member of the Prince Pückler Museum Foundation
Dr Adeline Abimnwi Awemo, chairperson of the German-African Association Cottbus, CDU
Aline Erdmann, Equal Opportunities Officer of the City of Cottbus
Mohamed Elhag, administrator of the BA study programme "Environmental and Resource Management"

18:30 Closing with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony

About teaching in BTU4future

In the summer semester 2025, the topic of cultural sustainability and the critical reflection of different cultures of remembrance will be the focus of the seminar at BTU. The decolonial museum consultant Patricia Vester is leading the BTU4Future seminar as a guest lecturer. In it, students critically analyse German colonial history and the culture of remembrance. They are also developing the spatial design of the women's site Bilillee Machbuba. On Wednesday, 9 July 2025 from 12:00 to 16:00, a construction day will take place with the students of the module to design additional seating around the place of remembrance. The results of this work will be presented at the inauguration ceremony.

About the guest lecturer Patricia Vester

Patricia Vester, born in Potsdam, is an artist, illustrator, author, diversity trainer and activist for BIPoC (Black, Indigenous People of Colour). She is a consultant on colonial contexts and museum practice, as well as a developer of racism-critical art and cultural education. She is committed to decolonial learning, offers process support and develops artistic-creative teaching methods. Her work supports Black communities and socio-political projects and aims to make marginalised perspectives visible. In 2023, she published the workbook "gelebt - Das kurze Leben der Bilillee Ajiamè Machbuba", in which she explores the life of Bilillee Ajiamé Machbuba from an Afro-German perspective.

About the project

The project "FrauenOrte im Land Brandenburg" by the Frauenpolitischer Rat Land Brandenburg e.V. (FPR) focuses on visualising the life and work of women in Brandenburg's regional history. The project is funded by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs of the State of Brandenburg.

Address
FrauenOrt Bilillee Machbuba
Main campus of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 6-8
03046 Cottbus

Contact

FrauenOrte im Land Brandenburg
Elio Gäbelein, Project Manager
T +49(0) 76 53 75 1427
E frauenorte@frauenpolitischer-rat.de
www.frauenorte-brandenburg.de