Thank you for the comment.

Yes, as I mentioned in my essay, in general the women with African fathers were more likely to grow up in an intact family than those with American GI fathers. Even in one case where a child (the nurse with the Jewish stepmother) was born out of wedlock as a result of an extramarital affair, she ended up living with her father in a two-parent family. On the other hand, the relationships between GIs and German women were often more transient in nature, and some of the resulting children had no contact at all with their Black side.

You should try to get a copy of the book. I bought it at a bookstore that has unfortunately closed, but you might check Indigo or see if they have it at the public library (or at Robarts U of T library if you have checking privileges there). I have lent my copy to a friend (who ironically is Afro-German herself; she was born in Jamaica but has Black and German ancestors) and I don’t know when she’ll be giving it back to me, but if you don’t find a copy I can mail mine to you to read (and then you can mail it back to me) once she does give it to me.

Emilia

I didn’t realize that Germany had some black (half black or how ever they like to be referred) people going that far back. I knew that US soldiers messed with women and had them dropping babies every where they went, but Germany…and black soldiers creating kids was not something I expected to ever hear about. I guess a number of women didn’t share the racial attitudes that many in that country did in those days….or more likely…curiosity got to them and they wanted to test drive a black man the same way US soldiers liked to mess with local women where ever they go.

As someone who had both parents around, and is not biracial, I still can ID with these ladies somewhat because I grew up in a mono racial environment where I was out of place. I know that growing up in that situation has many effects that are lasting.

It is interesting to see the difference between those with African fathers compared to American soldiers for fathers.

Anyways…its always interesting to see peoples situations and struggles in different parts of the world.