Wednesday, September 23, 2015

The new Germany


With an Indian name and appearance, not many people know that I’m half-German. But it's an important part of my identity. My mother, who emigrated in 1960, comes from a small town, Datteln, in the Recklinghausen district within the Ruhr area. I visited Germany often as a child and still speak German, though I'm a poor conversationalist compared to the chatterbox I was in my teens. 

Naturally, I've been following the news that Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel announced that Germany would offer asylum to the Syrian and other refugees: up to 800,000 this year alone. Only after her announcement, did England, France, and Finland all chime in they would help. Now the US has agreed take a small number of Syrian refugees--perhaps 10,000--next year. It's no surprise Germany was the leader for this; they take more refugees than any other nation worldwide. And of course, Ms. Merkel is leader of the European Union, a group that was panicked about the Syrian exodus. 

Refugees arrive in Croatia/Jodi Hilton for the Washington Post
Some have faulted Germany for encouraging more refugees, not all of whom are Syrians escaping ISIS and the brutal civil war. ISIS apparently is encouraging its terrorists to take advantage of the opportunity to emigrate. When asked about the danger in accepting asylum seekers, Ms. Merkel responded: "Fear has never been a good advisor, neither in our personal lives nor in our society. Cultures and societies that are shaped by fear, will, without a doubt, not get a grip on the future."

Her words sent me back to the last century, and I wondered if she was thinking about the kind of fear that led ordinary Germans to fault to scapegoating German Jews for economic woes. A distrust of outsiders led too many nations, including the United States, to turn away many thousands of Jewish asylum seekers in the 1930s and '40s. Fear is the current buzzword for Hungary, the country threatening imprisonment of the refugees who only wish to pass through to more welcoming countries. For the refugees, figuring out a route that avoids hostile nations has become a kind of roulette.



The situation of Germany welcoming Syrians reminds me of my visits to Germany in the 1970s and 1980s, when the only other brown people besides ourselves were guest workers from Turkey who'd been invited by the German government to fill manufacturing jobs. Their presence built Germany's economic miracles, filled houses, and kept schools and businesses thriving.  Germany's population growth is even lower now than when I was a kid. The Syrians can save Germany--as well as other low birthrate European countries---by providing labor and building a healthy population for the future.  

Thousands of Germans have come forward with donations of food, clothing and housing for the Syrians. This smiling young man did not even have to put a translation on his sign.


photo by Jens Mejer/Associated Press


Last weekend I checked up with my mother, who has lived in the midwestern state of Minnesota for 44 years.  She was happy and proud of Germany's leadership on behalf of the Syrians. I was heartened to hear that her relatives were in the same mental place. My 74-year-old uncle, a lifelong resident of Datteln, makes it a habit to greet every non-German he sees in the streets. My 18-year-old teenaged second cousin is going to refugee camps to teach the German language to the new arrivals. These actions are not rare; they are the new normal in Germany. And I believe forthright behavior of  everyday Germans will surpass any violent actions coming from a minority of haters. 


Horneburg Side Street, Datteln/Stahlkocher


Mama Merkel poses for a selfie with an asylee to Germany/Reuters: Fabrizio Bensch

Immigration is not a fairy tale. I know this from my parents, who emigrated from their homelands twice over--not because of persecution, but because of a deep personal desire to lead lives true to themselves. Fortunately, they made it and now can't imagine leaving where they've built their homes.

Here's hoping the rest of the world will see the same opportunity as Germany does.

Sujata in Baltimore, Maryland - Wednesday






















16 comments:

  1. Please welcome Sujata as a regular contributor to Murder is Everywhere. She'll blog every other Wednesday. I've been very fortunate to be in a writing group with Sujata, and the Kubu series has benefitted greatly from her feedback. I highly recommend her Rei Shimura series, as well as her recent India novels, The Sleeping Dictionary and The Ayah's Tale. Welcome Sujata.

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  2. Welcome, Sujata! It's a distinct honor to have you bringing your right on the money insights to our merry little band. The immigration crisis in Europe is the greatest threat the West faces. And by threat I mean to what we regard as civilized behavior confronted by this incontrovertible reality: The state of our world has millions realizing that the irrational choice to fleeing their homelands is to stay and face inevitable doom.

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    1. I agree with what you say about staying and being doomed. And to think the Arab Spring triggered it all

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    2. Yes, it was the trigger, but the gun was loaded and left there unattended by inattentive third parties.

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  3. My parents were immigrants from a war torn Europe. Germany and Ms. Merkel are taking a wise and thoughtful approach to the situation which will be of tremendous benefit to the immigrants and the future of Germany.
    I spent a lot of time in Baltimore as a child and have been in Minnesota for most of the last 40 years. It's a friendly place so I'll say hello to your mother if I should
    run into her. :)

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    1. Hey, Jono, I'm glad your parents got to a good place after the war! Very best wishes to you.

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  4. We are all emigrees. Life does not stand still, rooted in one place. We do well when we remember that.

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    1. Yes, tell Donald Trump that we are all emigrees. It's a beautiful word, isn't it?

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  5. Thank you, Sujata. It is important to see that there is vision and empathy where often we only see selfishness and rejection. The US was built on immigrants, hopefully Germany can achieve the same.

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    1. Yes, Michael. I wish the US would take more refugees than the 70,000 total it takes annually. We will take 10,000 Syrians next year (if Obama is successful)

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  6. Sujata, Welcome. We are so happy to have you with us.

    Being a second generation American, I am the product of the immigrant experience. My sympathies for people looking for a place to improve their lives is something I feel on a blood cell level. A few days ago, I put a photo of Steve Jobs on my Facebook page, labeled with "The son of an immigrant from Homs, Syria." I thought my message was clear, but the post did not get much of a response. Germany and the other countries who welcome the immigrants are casting their bread on the waters: if they take 50,000 people and get one brilliantly creative child out them, the expenses will be paid. The city I live in and my home here would not look as wonderful as they do, if they had not been built by the Italians who came over on the boats with my grandparents. Naysayers continue to grouse. But I say "full speed ahead." Blessings are in the future to replay kindness today.

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    1. Very provocative post on Jobs. I had no idea. I want to Tweet it!

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  7. Welcome, Sujata Massey -- from a first-generation American. (Sworn in at the age of 16, almost a half century ago now.)--Mario R.

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  8. Welcome, Sujata - sorry, late to the party as always. Great post. I fear that history will not look back on many European countries kindly for their behaviour over this refugee crisis.

    Very much looking forward to seeing you at Bouchercon!

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  9. Very good post. And it is heartening to read and hear of the kindness being offered to the Syrian and other migrant families in Germany and elsewhere.
    If no one saw this news, there were marches and rallies in many European capitals on Sept. 12 with the theme of "Welcome Refugees." The photographs of huge crowds in many cities were uplifting.
    Even in Budapest, there was a rally and concert at the train station where Syrians had temporarily camped on their way to other European countries.
    The signs all over were very welcoming.
    And the kind, generous people far outweigh the anti-immigrant groups. This was clearly shown in Germany and other countries.
    I met a young woman from Berlin in a cafe nearby last week. We talked about the migrants going to Germany, and she vowed to find a way to help them when she returned to her city quite soon.

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  10. IF you are in danger you go to next safe place! in this actual situation people go directly to germany and skip safe place 1 2 3 4 5 6... please explain! nahh i do cause the benefits are great. you get money thats the reason and
    you get the option to stay in your fuckedup believes in islam and all sorta crap which will bring again dead violence and NO money and no money no food no happiness and with that MURDER is coming next to you and your family and children donT be a dummy and welcome people you SHIT know about! or do you leave your door open? please give me your street adress i come over for a cup of tea!

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