Die europäisch-afrikanische Begegnung

In the long European-African contact, three main periods may be distinguished: 1. the first period in which the Portuguese tried in vain to Christianize the Kingdom of Congo. Wrong methods and fundamental errors in the appreciation of African tribal culture and African social systems led to little success, and the whole enterprise was eventually doomed to failure. 2. In the second period, the European impact became much more intensive, and in this period of colonisation modern economy and the labour process determined the rhythm of acculturation (especially material culture and school education), whilst the socio-religious ties of the tribal community showed unexpected, resistance to the influence of missions (religious beliefs, tribal authority, polygamy and bride-price). The result of this second period is a changing Africa full of tensions in all fields of life. 3. A third period began with the first World War. The African becomes conscious of himself and of his African heritage and strives for political independence. This independence grants the basis of a new development along African lines. The end of this process appears to be an African culture with assimilated European and Christian ideas and achievements.