Can we not be so self-centered and keep our experiences to ourselves? Diasporic Remembrances of Fasia Jansen

Aline Benecke
2022-05-13

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We gathered to remember the Black german activist Fasia Jansen. Fasia was born in 1929 in Hamburg as the illegimate daughter of white german maiden Eli Jansen and liberian consul Momolu Massaquoi… Having had to witness the suffering of Jewish Women in the Camp of Neuengamme, where Fasia herself had to do forced labour, Fasia dedicated her life to different political struggles. Fasia Jansen was active in women*-, labour-, anti-atom- and peace movements. Her contribution to these movements is an impressive collection of protest songs. Our longing was to relate to Fasia from a Black queer Perspective, to understand her positionality and hence to negotiate ours. We did so by gathering and re-enacting her songs and spirit. Our choir – the Fasia Jansen Ensemble – is a spiritual invocation.