Post-1990 Immigrations from Eastern Europe: Aussiedler and jüdische KontingentflüchtlingeVICTORIA DOVASTON, GENEVIEVE NUTAKKI & BETHANY RICHES

Introduction (Spät)Aussiedler:

Ethnic Germans from the successor states of the former Soviet Union and from other Eastern European states (BAMF. 2013)

Jüdische Kontingentflüchtlinge:

Difference to other migrant groups already studied – According to the German Federal Administration Office - approximately 128,000 Jewish migrants, including their family members, came to Germany between 1990 and 2000.

Who are the Aussiedler? Two categories

Staatsangehörige◦ German parents◦ Proof through birth certificates etc.

Volkszugehörige◦ German ethnicity based on a person’s identification and recognition as a German in country of origin

(cultural practices, language, etc.)◦ German ancestry

History of Aussiedler Why leave Germany?

◦ Invitation to Russia◦ Changing borders

Push factors for return to Germany◦ Family reunion◦ Better prospects for their children◦ Prejudice in country of origin◦ National identity and a sense of belonging

Impact of threat to build Berlin Wall◦ Sense of now or never

Impact of fall of Communism◦ Fewer administrative restrictions on travel

History of Aussiedler

(Waffenschmidt. 1999)

Geographical distribution in Germany

(Waffenschmidt. 1999)

German identity What is German?

What makes somebody German?

How important is language in defining identity?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9i-eklXKxg (32:15)

Language Testing to Mark Ethnicity

Language used to show they have cultural traditions and have grown up in a German environment

Encouragement of dialects – better integration

Perfect grammar and extensive language proficiency not the main aim

Language tests did have problems:o Test constructo Social and political contexts neglectedo Underqualified examinerso Younger generations more likely to use Standard German

Benefits of Aussiedler’s Knowledge of German

Perform better at school compared to other migrant groups

Receive more help with integration when they arrive (e.g. free intensive language courses)

More favourable integration opportunities

Special provisions:◦ compensation for property left behind◦ subsidies aimed at promoting integration (payments for establishment of new households)◦ language training

Special pensions available – controversial

Portrayal as victims so politicians succumbed to a lot of their demands

More favourable integration opportunities

Is this fair?

Should Aussiedler receive preferential treatment?

Integration problems Short term:

Accommodation (social housing/staying with friends and relatives)

Jobs (lack of language is key deficiency; lack of technical skills)

Pressure on German government and the socially weak Germans

Integration problems Long term:

Settlement process

Linguistic problems

Employment

Acceptance by native Germans

Should they be encouraged to live as groups of their own country of origin or integrate into German communitites?

Reception of Aussiedler in Germany

In comparison to other migrant groups, Aussiedler are seen more positively

Lower German working classes weren’t very welcoming

Negative stereotypes – e.g. thieves ◦ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9i-eklXKxg (17:08)

Survey about Germans marrying migrants ◦ Aussiedler more popular than Turks but less popular than Italians

Reception of Aussiedler in GermanyBundesregierung Kommunen Bevölkerung

Alle, die kommen wollen, sollen aufgenommen werden• Sind Deutsche• Sind ein Gewinn fur unser

Land• Besitzen gunstige Alterstruktur• Konnen offene

Facharbeiterstellen besetzen• Tragen zur Sicherung der

Renten bei

Schäfere Prufungen, ob Voraussetzungen für eine Aussiedlung vorliegen, sind notwendig• Aufnahmemoglichkeiten der

Stadte und Gemeinden neigen sich dem Ende zu

• Unterbringung in Notquartieren schafft soziale Brennpunkte

• Gemeinschaftsleben von Städten und Gemeinden wird stark beschränkt

• Kommunalhaushalte warden stark belastet

Aussiedlerstrom sollte gestoppt werden• Sind wirklich alle Deutsche?• Sie sind Konkurrenten• Sie erhalten Vergungstigungen • Sie sind Schuld fur die Mangel-

und Konkurrenzsituation• Ablehnung, Ausgrenzung,

Diskriminierung

(Gugel. 1990)

Are Aussiedler’s German identities recognised in Germany?

Legally have the right to citizenship on arrival

Took native German population a long time to recognise Aussiedler as fellow ‘Landesleute’

1946 survey – only half of locals saw new arrivals as fellow citizens

1989 survey – 38% of host Germans considered Aussiedler fellow ‘Landesleute’, 36% saw them as Ausländer

Language as a tool of acceptance

Difference between perceptions of government/institutions and German communities

Public debate on Aussiedler Mainly regional news stories

Focus on rising numbers of Aussiedler arriving

Generally portrayed more positively than other migrant groups

In comparison to other migrants groups, very little public discussion – why?

Thoughts on this headline?

http://www.lz.de/lippe/lage/20413525_Aussiedler-gruenden-erfolgreiche-Firmen.html

References Ahonen, P., 2014. On Forced Migrations: Transnational Realities and National Narrative in Post-1945 (West) Germany. German History, 32(4), p.599-614.

Balasko, S. 2014. Migranten fühlen sich in Hamburg gut integriert. Die Welt, [online] 9 December. Available at: <http://www.welt.de/regionales/hamburg/article135169343/Migranten-fuehlen-sich-in-Hamburg-gut-integriert.html> [Accessed 20 April 2015]

Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge. 2013. Spätaussiedler. [online] Available at: <http://www.bamf.de/DE/Migration/Spaetaussiedler/spaetaussiedler-node.html> [Accessed 25/05/2015]

Dietz, B. Lebok, U. and Polian, P., 2002. The Jewish Emigration from the Former Soviet Union to Germany. International Migration, 40(2), p.29-48.

Doku4You24. 2013. Die Russlanddeutschen – Auf der Suche nach Heimat. [video online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9i-eklXKxg> [Accessed 25 April 2015]

Gugel, G., 1990. Ausländer-Aussiedler-Übersiedler: Fremdenfeindlichkeit in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Tübingen: Verein fur Friedenspädagogik Tübingen e.V.

Jones, P.N. and Wild, M.T., 1992. Western Germany's 'Third Wave' of Migrants: the Arrival of the Aussiedler. Geoforum, 23(1), p.1-11.

References cont. Münz, R. and Ulrich, R. 1998. Germany and its immigrants: a socio-demographic analysis. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 24(1), pp. 25-56

Muchowiecka, L., 2013. The End of Multiculturalism? Immigration and Integration in Germany and the United Kingdom. Student Pulse, 5(06). Available at: <http://www.studentpulse.com/a?id=735> [Accessed 17 April 2015]

Rock, D. and Wolff, S., 2002. Coming Home to Germany. Oxford: Berghahn Books

Schüpbach, D., 2009. Testing Language, Testing Ethnicity? Policies and Practices Surrounding the Ethnic German Aussiedler. Language Assessment Quarterly, 6, p.78-82.

Sewing, A. 2015. Aussiedler gründen erfolgreiche Firmen. Lippische Landes-Zeitung, [online] 24 March. Available at: <http://www.lz.de/lippe/lage/20413525_Aussiedler-gruenden-erfolgreiche-Firmen.html> [Accessed 19 April 2015]

Söhn, J. 2008. Bildungsunterschiede zwischen Migrantengruppen in Deutschland: Schulabschlüsse von Aussiedlern und anderen Migranten der ersten Generation im Vergleich. Berliner Journal für Soziologie. 3, pp. 401-431

Waffenschmidt, H. 1999. Integration deutscher Spätaussiedler in Deutschland [pdf] Sankt Augustin: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Available at: <http://www.kas.de/wf/de/33.4816/> [Accessed 25/05/2015]