The Colonial History of Berlin’s Most Famous Natural History Exhibit
Location: Naturkunde Museum
We are at the Naturkunde Museum in Berlin, where thousands of visitors flock to see one of its most famous exhibits:
The Giraffatitan brancai is one of the largest and tallest reconstructed dinosaur skeletons in the world. A breathtaking sight, but did you know that this dino skeleton has deep colonial roots?
The Colonial Origins of the Fossil
This 150-million-year-old dinosaur fossil was excavated from Mount Tendaguru in present-day Tanzania between 1909 and 1913. At the time, Tanzania was under German colonial rule as part of “German East Africa.”
In 1906, while searching for valuable resources like graphite and gemstones, a German engineer learned from locals about the presence of massive bones in the region. This discovery coincided with a devastating period in Tanzanian history: the Maji Maji Rebellion, an armed uprising against German rule that lasted from 1905 to 1907. Germany brutally suppressed the rebellion, killing an estimated 300,000 native people and depopulating the region.
By 1907, German authorities declared Mount Tendaguru “uninhabited” and claimed it for the German Crown. This colonial decree conveniently allowed them to exploit the land for fossil excavation while ignoring Indigenous land rights, legislation, and ownership.
Forced Labor and Fossil Extraction
Between 1909 and 1913, 400 to 500 Tanzanian laborers and porters were forced to work on the excavation under harsh conditions. Their labor resulted in the extraction of 230 tonnes of fossil material, which was promptly shipped to Berlin.
The assembly of the dinosaur skeleton took 20 years, and in 1937, the Berlin Museum für Naturkunde finally unveiled the reconstructed Brachiosaurus. At the time, Germany was under Nazi rule, and the exhibit was surrounded by Swastika flags during its grand opening.
Even after the fall of Nazi Germany, the exhibit continued to obscure its colonial origins. When the museum was part of East Germany (GDR), its placard simply stated that the bones came from “German East Africa.” It wasn’t until 2007 that the museum updated its information to acknowledge that the fossils came from present-day Tanzania.
Tanzania’s Unanswered Requests
Tanzania has repeatedly asked for the return of its fossils. In 1987, the Tanzanian government formally requested the East German government to return some of the largest bones for permanent exhibition in Dar es Salaam. This request was ignored.
In 2018, a research project finally addressed the colonial history of the dinosaur exhibit.
Will the Dinosaur Ever Leave Berlin?
Despite increased scrutiny over colonial-era acquisitions, the hard truth remains: this dinosaur skeleton will never leave Berlin.
In 2016, Germany passed the Kulturgutschutzgesetz (Cultural Heritage Protection Act), classifying Giraffatitan brancai as a “valuable cultural asset.” This law makes it impossible to remove the skeleton from Germany.
What Is the Naturkunde Museum Doing?
The museum claims to be taking steps toward addressing its colonial legacy. According to its website, it has:
Launched collaborative provenance research with the National Museum of Tanzania and University of Dar es Salaam
Developed transparency initiatives around its colonial-era collections
Organized workshops to discuss its colonial past and identify other contested objects
Additionally, the museum has expressed interest in helping Tanzanian institutions with paleontological training and scientific cooperation. However, as of now, no concrete actions have been taken.
How Can This Unfair History Be Corrected?
The legacy of colonial exploitation still lingers in the halls of the Naturkunde Museum. While Germany acknowledges its colonial past, returning cultural and scientific artifacts remains a slow and highly politicized process.
What do you think should be done to address this history? Should Germany offer restitution or repatriation? Let us know in the comments!