Journalist Kani Tuyala was interviewed in a German news program about the film of German reporter Günter Wallraff, the film where Walfraff wanted to see what it’s like living as black man in Germany.
In the interview Tuyala says: I find the film a very good idea. I shows that this problem still exits. Racism in German is not being addressed, not even in the media.
Before the interview a shot is shown where Walraff wants to get into a disco in Rosendahl. He asks the doorman: “I want to go to the disco, why don’t let me in?” The doorman replies: “Africa is for Africa, Europe is for whites.”
Interesting detail. The interviewer says: “We as a German society are know for our “Weltoffenheit”. Weltoffenheit is a German concept that is meant to symbolise inclusiveness, multiculturalism and cosmopolitanism. I can only say: let others be the judge of that!
See the interview (video) on Kanis Blog (German)
Journalist Tuyala is very correct in his train of thought about the film being a positive way to address Racism that isn't being address. In 1961, journalist John Howard Griffin published "Black Like Me" about his travels posing as a Black man in the segregated American South. Though met with a lot of backlash, Griffin is regarded as Civil Rights advocate even though he was vilified by many. This type of racially sensitive journalism can be a powerful tool: whites generally never think about racism until it is one of their own under fire and now blacks have another advocate on their side, who can act out of empathy and not sympathy or pity.
ReplyDeleteRonnette, thanks for your comment. Very interesting information! I never heard of Griffin, so it was very interesting to read about his work . And yes you're right, there is a parallel between Griffin and Walraff. They both disguised themselves as a black man and reported their experience. But I think the parallel ends there.
ReplyDeleteWalraff is a famous German reporter, who even made a name for himself outside Germany. He has disguised himself many times, and has become famous with this kind this of undercover reporting. This is reason why is criticised by black organisations. They feel the subject is being sensationalised, it has become Gunter Walfraff’s Racism Tonight Show.
But I agree with you it’s a way to address racism that isn’t being addressed.
A black female German or Afro-German reporter, forgot her name, also made a film on racism in Germany. She interviewed a front man of an extreme right wing party. She arranged the interview, but he didn’t know she was black. So Walraff is not the only one.
Her name is Mo Asumang, she is a rather famous German tv personality. You can watch her interview with NPD leader Jürgen Rieger on this link, but you have to understand German:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNdJJ1Vm7VA