On June 18, 2025, as part of the Augsburg Peace Festival, the event “From El Dorado to Augsburg: Making Colonial History Visible!” takes place. Through a diverse program, it addresses Augsburg’s colonial legacy—focusing particularly on the role of the Welser merchant family in the so-called “Welser Colony” in present-day Venezuela.
A central part of the event is the unveiling of a new commemorative plaque next to the existing Welser plaque on Annastraße. The new plaque highlights the violence tied to these early colonial ventures: including the enslavement of 4,578 Africans and the killing of thousands of Indigenous people. It offers a much-needed counterpoint to the one-sided glorification of the Welsers’ role in history.
Traces of Colonialism in Augsburg
The day begins with a colonial history walking tour organized by the Werkstatt Solidarische Welt. The tour explores how Augsburg—from Roman times to today’s global consumer society—has repeatedly been embedded in global power and exploitation systems.
Following the tour, artists Magda Agudelo and Adelheid Schulz present their lecture performance “Intersecciones II”at Moritzplatz. This artistic and historical performance reflects on the Welsers’ colonial legacy in Latin America and connects it to contemporary questions of global justice.
Shaping Memory – Toward a Postcolonial City of Peace
The event is part of the project “Struggles over Meaning in the Coloniality of Peace”, run by the Bavarian Center for Peace and Conflict Research. The aim is to promote a critical culture of remembrance that makes colonial entanglements visible and takes historical responsibility seriously.
The event is open to all who are interested in postcolonial perspectives, global justice, and new approaches to collective memory.
Further information about the event can be found here.
