Deutschland als einwanderungsland

Abstract

In the paper the author synthesises, within the context of social history, migration experiences that took part in Germany. From a 19th century emigration country it has become a new type of immigration country. The period of accepting foreign workers in the 1960s proved retrospectively that Germany had become an immigrant country against its own will. Namely, although all the participants - on the part of Germany and on the part of the immigrants as well - had long nourished the 'Gastarbeiter' myth of a rapid return to their country of origin, because of their extended stay, chain immigration and immigration of family members, the first contours of an immigration society began to emerge. In addition to migrant workers, the paper also focuses on the presentation of various immigrant groups (immigration of family members of migrant workers, immigration of German families from other countries, immigration of Jews, immigration of political refugees from former socialist countries and potential asylum seekers as well as other refugees) and on facts and the legal framework of certain immigration models.