Wednesday, August 27
BVG installs new signs as Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße replaces controversial “M-Strasse”
The name was long regarded as one of the most distasteful remnants of German colonial thinking. For years, activist-led initiatives protested against the name Mohrenstrasse, or “Moor’s Street”, in Mitte, pointing out that the word – once widely used to refer to Black people – carried an offensive and racist legacy.
The debate dragged on for years and inspired much graffiti in the area. Ordinary citizens would often add an umlaut to the “o”, turning the name into Möhrenstrasse, or “Carrot Street”.
Since last weekend, however, the city has officially renamed it. The street – and the accompanying U-Bahn station – will now honour the West African scholar Anton Wilhelm Amo, one of the first Black philosophers and jurists at German universities.
As of Wednesday morning, the U-Bahn station also displays the new name. The BVG has installed new signs to mark the change. To avoid confusion, the station will display both names until the end of the year – but after that, the objectionable, outdated epithet will be gone for good.
