From March 21, 2026, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) present the exhibition “Tirailleurs: From Cannon Fodder to Avant-garde - The Forgotten Soldiers Who Liberated Europe”, which is also a research project. 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.
