Injected with fear: the legacy of colonial era vaccination programs

African Roots: Shadows of German Colonialism

04-03-2024 • 11 Min.

Tropical medicine boomed as European powers claimed territories in Africa. Germany sent the famed Robert Koch and many others to the colonies to find cures to tropical illnesses - but also to test new medicines. This shadowy practice led to Africans being mistreated, and many died in the process, leaving a legacy of physical and psychological trauma that has never been properly cured.