A Flea Market Selling Human Skulls
Shocking Discoveries in Germany's Colonial Past
We are standing outside one of the most prestigious medical facilities in all of Europe-Charité. But did you know this is the location where many human remains from Germany's colonial past have been stored? Charité's collection contains 106 human remains from Africa, Oceania, Asia, and North America.
Shocking? Let me share even more disturbing news!
Human Remains for Sale
A recent NDR investigation shone a light on a "curiosity market" near the German-Belgian border, where human skulls and bone remains are being sold. Most sellers don't know where these remains were acquired, though some claim they are from Togo, a former German colony.
In a grim twist, violence is even used as a selling point-a skull with a bullet hole going for 2,000 Euros, or a child's skull being sold for 1,950 Euros.
Did you know that trading human remains as a private person is still legal in Germany?
The Legacy of Looting
Germany looted not only cultural objects from its former African colonies but also human skulls, bones, and other body parts.
This photo from the African Quarter shows skeletal remains from Africa, after the OvaHerero and Nama genocide, being packed for shipment to Germany.
Anthropologists like Dr. Felix von Luschan (1854-1924) studied the skulls of African victims of colonial violence, using pseudo-scientific race theories to justify European superiority. At one point, he owned the world's largest private collection of skulls.
To this day, Berlin's museums house skulls and human remains. According to a study by Decolonize Berlin, approximately 5,958 human remains are stored in Berlin universities and at Charité, Germany's premier healthcare institute. However, the real number is estimated to be closer to 17,000. How many of these remain in private hands is unknown.
Stored Like Artifacts
Human skulls and bones are stored alongside animal bones, often sprayed with disinfectants. Beyond bones, Berlin's collections include body parts such as larynxes, braids of stolen hair, skin, and more.
Why Aren't the Remains Returned?
The most common reason given is that their exact origins cannot be determined.
Another argument is that Germany requires an official request from the country of origin, which is often difficult to obtain.
As these bureaucratic issues are debated, curiosity markets and online auctions continue to sell human remains. Even platforms like Instagram host private sellers profiting from these trades.
Efforts to Address the Issue
While some institutions, like Charité, have expressed willingness to return human remains, slow bureaucratic processes mean progress is painfully slow. Charité has restituted around 20 skulls to Namibia as part of the Human Remains Project.
Other institutions have been far less proactive.
Mynaka Sururu Mboro from Decolonize Berlin co-authored the study We Want Them Back to raise awareness about human remains in the colonial context. Mboro was also part of the documentary film The empty grave (The Empty Grave), which highlights the emotional and cultural trauma of missing human remains, a loss that continues to impact generations.
Mboro had promised his grandmother that he would bring back the skull of his grandfather, but so far, he has not succeeded.
A Legal Loophole
We discussed the Cultural Property Protection Act (KGSG) in a previous video. While KGSG prohibits institutions from trading human remains, Germany has no legal framework for handling private sales or auctions. As a result, individuals are free to sell human remains for profit.
What do you think about the trade of human remains in curiosity markets? Should it be banned? Let us know in the comments.