English Summary #7

Since 2015, millions of migrants and asylum seekers have immigrated to Germany. These people come from many different countries, cultures, and situations, but they all have one thing in common; they all must now struggle to adapt to their new life in a completely foreign country. The local municipalities play a major role in determining how this process goes. If the migrants become well adapted to Germany, then they should be able to participate in and benefit German society. However, if they are not able to be assimilated, then issues can occur. This is why it is so vital to understand their stories. Therefore, the question is simple; what sort of perspectives do many of the immigrants have? How can they be fully integrated into Germany, and what are the challenges to their integration? These are the questions that Prof. Dr. Birgit Glorius addressed in her speech on the topic that was given on the 20th of June, 2023.

First of all, it is important to understand the perspectives of those immigrating to Germany. While many have been able to find a new life in Germany, there are still hardships. Finding financial stability has been a particularly difficult task for many. One individual commented that “As a refugee, it is impossible to get married, but the second you have a home and a good job you can do it.” Despite this, there are many programs intended to aid incoming refugees. Another individual commented that “everyday someone comes, knocks, and then says ‘I have this for you.’” Overall, migrants are well supported in Germany. However, this is not the case everywhere.

Refugees have had especial difficulty in adapting and incorporating into smaller towns and cities. These more rural regions have proven to be more resistant to receiving the rather large influx of immigrants that has come to Germany recently, which naturally results in a more difficult integration process for those who moved into these areas. One migrant to the German countryside stated that he would receive comments from locals such as “you don’t have to leave your seat for me, you should leave my country.” Another mentioned that many of the Vietnamese workers who moved to such areas would work hard and stay busy, but would not integrate into the local culture, and would instead stay rather inconspicuous. While this situation has proven hard for some migrants, the efforts taken by the German government are still enough to make sure that people are able to adjust, despite the difficulties.

Immigrating to an entirely foreign country is always difficult. However, it is safe to say that the German government has taken several significant steps to make the process easier for asylum seekers and those who want to move to Germany. With that being said, migrants do still face struggles. Racism, financial worries, and difficulty integrating to a new culture all play a major role. Regardless, by listening to the experiences of immigrants, we can gain a greater understanding of how to aid them in their struggles.