At Home in a Foreign Country: German Turks Struggle to Find Their Identity

[sysop]

The first Turkish 'guest workers' arrived in West Germany 50 years ago. Like other immigrants, they've had children and grandchildren since then. But large segments of younger generations are struggling to find their place in Germany, where they are hampered by a lack of education and prospects for the future.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...795299,00.html

[banksis]

Was it or is it the case that migrants to Germany can never become "real" Germans with the same rights in every respect once they become citizens as people born in Germany? And that a very lengthy period of residence is required to qualify for citizenship?

A successful migration policy does not just happen. It needs to be organised, and starting 50 years after the migrants first come is too late. Have the authorities ever studied what happens in the traditional migrant countries like Australia and Canada?

[finebetty]

Originally Posted by banksis

Was it or is it the case that migrants to Germany can never become "real" Germans with the same rights in every respect once they become citizens as people born in Germany? And that a very lengthy period of residence is required to qualify for citizenship?

A successful migration policy does not just happen. It needs to be organised, and starting 50 years after the migrants first come is too late. Have the authorities ever studied what happens in the traditional migrant countries like Australia and Canada?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_nationality_law

Sure youre right that a successful migration policy does not just happen. Germany ignored the problem for a long time because migrants (from outside of EU etc) were seen as "Gastarbeiter", guest workers who would be returning home at some stage - i.e. not people who would stay and settle here. Finally theyre waking up to the reality and some long overdue changes in both policy and attitudes are beginning to happen - hopefully someone is looking at the situation in other countries. There were huge problems when Turkish migrants were offered citizenship but only on the condition that they gave up their Turkish passports, many of them werent prepared to do this and wanted dual citizenship. As far as I know dual citizenship is allowed in certain circumstances, e.g. "As far as German law is concerned, if your child automatically had two nationalities at birth, he/she does not have to decide between the two at a later stage. Your child is therefore a permanent holder of dual nationality. In some cases, the law of the other country may however dictates a need to choose. You are asked to contact the competent agency of the other country in such cases (interior ministry or authorities or the foreign missions of the other country." (from the federal foreign office)

[ichbinsapporobeer]

Germany is an old culture and should promote social cohesion while safeguarding its own people. Germany is NOT Canada or Australia and should stop dreaming about Multiculturalism: We have or own unique culture! Look at Korea and Japan, we should safeguard the culture with the same firm politeness as they do.

How many Christians live in Turkey? How many Europeans work in Saudi Arabia?

Germany should welcome skilled labor, but it should protect its own culture and rich history as Japan and Korea does.

We do not awe Turkish people anything!

[poliman]

Originally Posted by ichbinsapporobeer

Germany is an old culture and should promote social cohesion while safeguarding its own people. Germany is NOT Canada or Australia and should stop dreaming about Multiculturalism: We have or own unique culture! Look at Korea and Japan, we should safeguard the culture with the same firm politeness as they do.

How many Christians live in Turkey? How many Europeans work in Saudi Arabia?

Germany should welcome skilled labor, but it should protect its own culture and rich history as Japan and Korea does.

We do not awe Turkish people anything!

Wow, guilty and righteous. Great....

So, you compare Germany to Saudi Arabia and use it as benchmark to asses your Country. Congratulations, you have still few things to do to be like Saudis. Saudis stone adulterer, do you think Germany should benchmark its legal system on that?

BTW Yes, you owe so much to Turks whom your government officially invited by letter, and brought them to work in factories when your country needed labor. They are the very reason for the boom of 60s, 70s and 80s.

Now Germany has automation, and it does not need Turks anymore, and, you think do not owe them anything, right? Shame.

Culture is adaptive and changing. There are already changes in German culture by Turks. Bratwurst is no longer the favorite fast food, but Doner. That is how it started in the US, with Italians making Pizza an American cultural heritage. Then music, sports, and now Italians are integral part of American culture. They took some and gave some. That is the integration. Not assimilation.

Like it or not, unless they are send to ovens to be destroyed, Turks are part of Germany and need to be accepted as such. Anything else will be devastating to German social integrity Inlong run.