From March 21, 2026, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) will present the exhibition “Tirailleurs: From Cannon Fodder to Avant-garde – The Forgotten Soldiers Who Liberated Europe”, which is also a research project.
Image above: Félix Vallotton, Soldier Sénégealais au Camp De Mailly (1917), oil on canvas, 46 x 55cm. Courtesy bpk, GrandPalaisRmn, René-Gabriel Ojéda
On August 15, 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron invited the world to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Provence, which followed the Normandy invasion and played a crucial role in liberating France and Europe from Nazi Germany. The ceremony drew attention to an often overlooked fact: the majority of the 250,000 soldiers of the so-called “Army B” were African soldiers, who, according to Le Monde, “came from the colonies.” These young Tirailleurs played an active role in the liberation of France, while many others from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania, and beyond, were equally instrumental in reshaping the future of Europe and its institutions. Yet their contribution has been systematically marginalized. Gestures of remembrance, such as inviting African leaders to anniversaries, attempt to acknowledge their sacrifice. But the history of the Tirailleurs remains politically appropriated, under-researched, and largely unknown, especially in contemporary Germany.
In 2026, the HKW aims to close this gap with a wide-ranging program that addresses the role of the Tirailleurs in the liberation of France from Nazi Germany, their contribution to the liberation of Germany, and their influence on securing peace in Europe after 1945.
The exhibition showcases works by more than thirty international female artists from different generations, including fourteen new commissions. It also presents archival materials, research findings from five art spaces and collectives, and film screenings. All these contributions underscore the enduring relevance of the history of the Tirailleurs for female artists, filmmakers, and cultural figures.
With works by
Kader Attia, Yassine Balbzioui, Kathleen Bomani, Halida Boughriet, Tiffany Chung, Binta Diaw, Godfried Donkor, Juan-Pedro Fabra Guemberena, Abrie Fourie, Othon Friesz, Pélagie Gbaguidi, Nadia Kaabi-Linke, Daniel Lind-Ramos, Mónica de Miranda, Oscar Ngu Atanga, Tuấn Andrew Nguyễn, Josèfa Ntjam, Anguezomo Nzé Mba Bikoro, Mario Pfeifer, Slavs and Tatars, El Hadji Sy, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Dior Thiam, Barthélémy Toguo, Félix Vallotton, Francisco Vidal, Hana Yoo
Film program with contributions from
Rachid Bouchareb, Dalila Ennadre, Oumarou Ganda, Grégoire Georges-Picot, Idrissou Mora-Kpai, Kollo Daniel Sanou, Philip Scheffner, Ousmane Sembène & Thierno Faty Sow, Tony T. & Rebecca Goldstone, Futuru C.L. Tsai, Mathieu Vadepied
Film program with contributions from
Rachid Bouchareb, Dalila Ennadre, Oumarou Ganda, Grégoire Georges-Picot, Idrissou Mora-Kpai, Kollo Daniel Sanou, Philip Scheffner, Ousmane Sembène & Thierno Faty Sow, Tony T. & Rebecca Goldstone, Futuru C.L. Tsai, Mathieu Vadepied
Opening weekend
The opening program includes, among other things, guided tours of the exhibition, artist talks, panel discussions, performances, concerts, and film screenings. Admission is free unless otherwise stated.
Friday, 20. March
12 am
Press Preview
6 pm
Exhibition opening
from 6 pm
Walk-in Cinema: Opening Program
Film Screenings
7:30 pm
Opening speeches
Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung and Paz Guevara
8 pm
Keynote Lecture
David Olusoga
8:30 pm
Keynote Lecture
Santanu Das
9 pm
Concert by Cheikh Lô
10:30 pm
DJ Kalaf Epalanga
Saturday, 21. March
12 am–7 pm
Childcare
12 am
Through the Exhibition with …
Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung and Paz Guevara
1 pm
Indochine. Sur les traces d’une mère (Indochina. In Search of a Mother)
Film Screening
1 pm
Where the Tirailleurs’ Stories Meet
With contributors from Hide and Seek Audiovisual Art, Taipei, and RAW Material Company, Dakar
2 pm
Artist Talks: On the Occupation of Public Space
With Yassine Balbzioui and Pascale Marthine Tayou, moderated by Paz Guevara and Daniel Neugebauer
3 pm
Artist Talks: On Embodying Stories of Liberation
With Pélagie Gbaguidi, Dior Thiam, and Barthélémy Toguo, moderated by Marie Hélène Pereira and Alya Sebti
4 pm
Camp de Thiaroye
Film Screening with an introduction by Can Sungu
7 pm
Batt you nou waxoul / Les mots qu’ils n’ont pas dits / The Words They Left Unsaid
Performance by Cheikh Tidiane Diagne and Lamine Diagne
7:30 pm
“Que sera demain l’œil de Dieu”: A Brief History of the Tirailleurs sénégalais and Charles N’Tchoréré
Lecture by Christian Eboulé
8:30 pm
Nowruz – A New Day
Performative Reading, Concert, DJ Set
Sunday, 22. March
12 am–7 pm
Childcare
12 am
Through the Exhibition with …
Emilienne Fernande Bodo
2 pm
Artist Talks: On Subverting the Colonial Imaginary
With Kathleen Bomani and Francisco Vidal, moderated by Sara Morais dos Santos Bruss and Eric Otieno Sumba
3:30 pm
The Halfmoon Files
Film Screening and discussion with director Philip Scheffner
6 pm
J’ai tant aimé
Film Screening with an introduction by Amaal Meftouh Ezzeyany
8 pm
Abel Selaocoe & Bantu Ensemble
WHEN?
Opening: Friday, 20. March 2026
Exhibition: Saturday, 21. March – Sunday, 14. June 2026
WHERE?
Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW)
John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10
10557 Berlin
 will present the exhibition “Tirailleurs: From Cannon Fodder to Avant-garde – The ... Cultural news, art exhibitions + art events to discover.){kind=link}