BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRO-GERMAN " GUSTAV SABAC el CHER " A BLACK MAN WHO LIVED IN KONIGSBERG AND WAS THE ONLY BLACK BAND MASTER OF THE GERMAN ARMY : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

                                                   BLACK          SOCIAL        HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

This is the story of Gustav Sabac el Cher, a black man who lived in Königsberg and who was “the only black bandmaster of the German Army.” The book takes the reader back in time, over 150 years ago. There we meet the controversial Prussian Prince Albrecht, getting to know him via his travel adventures and in war. Albrecht brought many things from Arabia back to Prussia, one of which was a 'human gift' from the Egyptian Viceroy, Muhammad Ali: a seven-year-old dark-skinned boy. He was given the name August Albrecht Sabac el Cher and accompanied the Prince from that point on. The social climate of the Prussian state of the 40s and 50s was one of curiosity towards “others,” not hostility. Thus, August’s dark skin was beneficial. His career prospered because of it. In 1867, he married the German, Anna Maria Jung, the daughter of a Berlin clothesmaker. However, their two children, Gustav and Elise, were dealt a different fate. Utilizing photos, records, and witness accounts, the book paints a comprehensive picture of the family. One learns that the sons of Gustav, Herbert and Horst, were very loved by the family. Both made music early on and both pursued professional careers. While Herbert continued in this vein with measurable success, Horst was not so lucky. In 1943 he was drafted as a medic by the Wehrmacht. Copyright©Weronika Kuzniar. Wilk Mocy Publishers. All Rights Reserved.