Maybe the dead know, their eyes widening at last,
Seeing the high beams of a million galaxies flick on
At twilight. Hearing the engines flare, the horns
Not letting up, the frenzy of being.
—Tracy K. Smith, excerpt from ‘My God, It’s Full of Stars’

It is with great sadness that Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) announces the passing into glory of a dear friend of the institution, a mentor, one of the most important scholars and cultural thinkers of our time: Prof Dr Maguèye Kassé passed away in a hospital in Dakar, on 22 Juli 2026. In 2025, Prof Dr Maguèye Kassé participated in the Deberlinization—Refabulating the World, A Theory of Praxis in a conversation with artist Mansour Ciss Kanakassy, whose work on the Laboratory of Deberlinization he had accompanied from very early on.

Prof Dr Maguèye Kassé was a University Professor of Exceptional Rank at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar. He was a full member of the National Academy of Science and Technology of Senegal (ANSTS), and his main areas of research were Germanic Intercultural Studies, Africans and National Socialism, and the Presence of Africans and African Americans in Germany. He was also the General Curator of the Dakar Biennial, Dak’Art 2008. He has been widely honoured for his contributions to the arts, culture, and academia, with national and international distinctions recognizing his influence across Africa, Europe, and North America.

Our most heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, to his academic and cultural families across the globe. While we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his life and contributions. Our prayers are with Prof Dr Maguèye Kassé and his loved ones and we wish him a smooth transition to the greater beyond. May his ancestors welcome him with the high beams of a million galaxies flicking on and with the flaring of engines and horns.