Das Afrikabild zwischen Stereotypisierung und Hybridisierung in der gegenwärtigen deutschsprachigen Kinder- und Jugendliteratur am Beispiel von Frank Maria Reifenbergs „An den Ufern des Orowango“

The literary engagement with Africa and the colonial era in Africa has been noticeably increasing recently, which is reflected in many works of contemporary German literature. Among these works is the youth novel "An den Ufern des Orowango" by the German author Frank Maria Reifenberg, published in 2023. The events of the Novel took place in the late 19th century. The novel deals with colonialism and and sheds bright light on a dark chapter of the German past, namely German colonial history in Africa. From a literary point of view, the article aims to answer the following questions: How does the novel outline the image of Africa during the colonial era? Does the author stereotype the image of Africa? Can the encounter between two boys of the same age from different cultural areas lead to the hybridization of their identities? And what literary means can express the depiction of the image of Africa in the novel? The paper finds its theoretical foundation in the concepts of the third Space and the hybridity of Homi K. Bhabha.
In order to provide the answers to the questions posed, the concepts of the third Space and hybridity of Homi K. Bhabha will first be discussed, because they form the theoretical framework of the paper. Then the position of Africa in the German-language literature will be examined. Subsequently, the content of the novel "An den Ufern des Orowango" will be outlined. Finally, the image of Africa is analyzed in the novel.