Frankfurt Urges Renaming of 'Lumumba' Drink on Christmas Market

The city recommends a name change for the popular hot chocolate with rum, citing concerns over racial insensitivity tied to its historical namesake.

Frankfurt's Tourismus und Congress GmbH has advised Christmas market vendors to rename the drink 'Lumumba,' traditionally a hot chocolate with rum, due to concerns of potential racial insensitivity.
The name 'Lumumba' references Patrice Lumumba, the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who was assassinated in 1961.
Critics argue that associating a dark-colored drink 'with a shot' with the name of a prominent African leader trivializes his legacy and could be seen as offensive.
Vendors have been encouraged to use alternative names like 'Hot Chocolate with Rum' or 'Kakao mit Schuss,' though some signage updates remain incomplete.
The debate reflects broader societal discussions around language and historical context, with other markets, such as Kiel, also adopting similar changes.