The fact of commemorating events helps to build the memory of a nation. It is one of the ways that historical knowledge, ferment of this national building, follows in order to exhume, preserve and live with the memory. As we considered the presence of the past in different ways, in societies, social groups or individuals, memory is a subject of history shaped by subjectivity and specific issues at stake.

In 1916, the governor of Kamerun, Karl EBERMAIER and Colonel Oscar ZIMMERMANN, commander of Schutztruppe of this territory, cross the border of Spanish Guinea, and launch the departure of the Germans from Kamerun. This departure becomes final when on February 18th, 1916 captain Von Raben, retreats into the fortress of Mora in the Far North of Kamerun, capitulates and gives himself up to the English general Cunliffe, thus putting an end to the Great War in Kamerun. In March 4th, 1916, German protectorate over Cameroon is officially finished when the victors of the war against Germany that is, France and the United Kingdom share the territory that the others have suddenly left.

This rupture that makes Cameroon become thereafter a territory under-mandate from the League of Nations and under United Nations trusteeship (UNO) did not however, prevent Cameroonians and Germans, Cameroon and Germany from pursuing their multidimensional relations. It is the history of this breakdown-continuity that the Cameroon Society of History and the Department of Germanic Studies want to revisit and to re-examine, for, all the surveys reveal that 90% of the young generations of present Germans are completely ignorant of the fact that Cameroon has been a German protectorate and that it is Germany that provided Cameroon with the first constituents elements of State. In Cameroon on the other hand, and still today, there exist many remnants that testify to the old and current presence of Germany and that apply to various generations.

Far from considering only the history of violence that Kamerun experienced, following the example of other battle fields of the Great War, it is about to open and lay emphasis on history of mentalities, cultural history, history of international relations, history of memory, history of Law, economic history, etc. of this territory that has become a subject of the international relations through the fact that it is put under-mandate of the League of Nations.

Cameroon History Society (CHS) and the Department of Germanic Studies of the University of Yaoundé I hereby invite academics and intellectuals of the humanities and social sciences, arts and letters to take part in this international symposium with their intellectual contributions focused on one of the five chronological topics below:

Topic I: When leaving Kamerun in 1916, to what changes have they submitted the territory under protectorate?
At the cultural, religious and health level
At the administrative level and the relationship with traditional authority
At the institutional level
At the infrastructural level
At the scientific level
At the economic level (agriculture, mine, PTT, industry)
At the human and artistic level:
- Who are German private investors in Kamerun?
- Who are German public investors in Kamerun?
- Who are Cameroonian collaborators of Germany in Kamerun?
- What is the artistic and cultural heritage of Cameroon transferred to Germany?

_Topic II: After the official departure of the Germans (1916) from Kamerun, what has become Cameroon-Germany (1916-1960/61) cooperation and friendly ties?
- In Germany?
- In Cameroon under the French and British mandate?
- In Cameroon under French and British rule?
- In Cameroon during the quest for independence and reunification?
- What is the contribution of the Cameroon diaspora in Germany?

Topic III: After independence and reunification, what have become Cameroon-Germany relations (1960-2016)?
- Structures of cooperation and their contribution to the rapprochement Germany - Cameroon?
- The teaching of German and its contribution to the rapprochement Germany-Cameroon
- Cameroonian diaspora in Germany and its contribution to the rapprochement Germany-Cameroon
- Cameroonian ambassadors to Germany and their contribution to the rapprochement Germany-Cameroon.
- German ambassadors to Cameroon and their contribution to the rapprochement Germany-Cameroon.
- Relationship between German Churches and Cameroonian Churches.
- Trade relations between Germany and Cameroon

Topic IV: Memories of Colonialisation
- Perception of the Germans in the collective imaginary of Cameroonians
- Perception of colonisation in imaginary German
- Memory of the German colonisation of Cameroon both in Cameroon and in Germany in literature.

Topic V: Others
- Testimonies
- Cameroon in the German archives
- German and Cameroon sporting development