The Ultimate Magic Negro: The Sarotti-Moor (Mohr)

Sarotti Mohr

You have to look twice to the novelty of this old, familiar figure to us so well perceive: No longer the cute little "Sarotti-Mohr," we encounter here, but a magician who juggles with stars. The marketers of factory-Stoll AG in 2004, missed the products of the brand Sarotti a new logo. This can probably be seen primarily as a response to the persistent criticism that the character embodies the racist stereotype of the "" servile Negroes. After all, even "marshmallows" and "marshmallows have become" obsolete. In any event, the "white man" has long been the Sarotti Mohr likes to eat, these strangers kindchenhaften through wide eyes, dressed in oriental turban and baggy trousers, surrounded by the magic of Arabian Nights.

Now with the book by Rita Gudermann and Bernhard Wulff The Sarotti Moor there is a work in which is described and downs of chocolate and chocolate company Sarotti well researched. Last but not least a piece of Berlin Economic and Cultural History has been processed, because the company's history began in September 1852, when it was opened in the Prussian capital of the confectionery business "Felix & Sarotti". Later in the district of Tempelhof was then the parent plant, the factory employed 1,800 workers in 1910 already.

Sarotti Mohr

The figure of the Moor Sarotti advertising artist Julius Gipkens in the last months of World War I had created. Showed the logo was still "Three Moors" with tray, 1922, the classic Sarotti Moor character was entered in the Trademark Register. It is believed that the still so named Mohr in Berlin-Mitte, who was temporarily Sarotti the factory, the graphic artist inspired to choose a Moor as a trademark. As the authors demonstrate with a number of image documents, Sarotti Mohr appeared henceforth in countless variations on the chocolate wrappers, postcards, or cups, as well as knick-knacks he found his way into the character and children's homes. He was even the racial fanaticism of the Nazis, who had eliminated the 1934 dating back to the St. Mauritius Mohrenkopf from the Coburg city arms.

The Sarotti-Mohr, who belongs to this day the most famous figures of the German advertising history, has always been an integral part of exoticism discourse in Germany. The spirit of the times reflecting changes of the black servant figure of the modern magician has at least solved advertising technique refined, but the recognition is not always given, in this way probably is the figure for many consumers in their hasty purchases remain the "Moor", even if his skin now glows golden. (source: Freiburg-Postkolonial.)

The magic Sarotti-Mohr

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