COMENIUS PROJECT“Similarity in Diversity (SID)“

Introduction Migration

• What is migration?

• Emigration is when people leave their homes and move to another country

• Immigration is when people enter their new habitation

• Why do people migrate?

Huguenots (French protestants) migrating to Germany

Emigrants leaving for America

Push and Pull factors

Push-Factors:

Reasons why people (want to) leave their home country

Pull-Factors:

Reasons why people (want to) live in a particular country

Migration because of:

• Economy

• Social problems

• Incidents

• Demographic problems

• Political conflicts

Soviet prisoners of war and forced labourers in Münster

Drawing of a former prisoner of the concentration camp Sachsenhausen

Changing borders of Germany1848- 1989

• Federal Republic of Germany

• 16 federal states• Berlin is the capital• Käthe-Kollwitz-

Gymnasium is located in Neustadt an der Weinstraße

-Revolt of bourgeoisie

-Desire for a nation-state

-Counterrevolution

-Collapse of the revolution

German Revolution 1848/1849

Political map of the German Confederation, Source: Putzger – Historischer Weltatlas, 89. Auflage, 1965

German Empire (1871–1918)

• On January 18th 1871 the first German nation-state was founded, under the rule of the Prussian Hohenzollern

• Germany still is a monarchy with a disappointed liberal movement, because of the lack of civil liberties in this new state.

Political map of the German Empire (1871 - 1918), Source: Putzger – Historischer Weltatlas, 89. Auflage, 1965

The First World War (1914-1918)

• First World War was originally a war between the middle-sized powers, the German Empire und Austria-Hungary, and the Entente-powers, France, Great Britain, Russia as well as Serbia.

• Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot to death in Sarajevo

Weimar Republic (1919-1933)

• During the Weimar Republic the German Empire was ruled by means of a democratic federal state and therefore consisted of a presidential and parliamentary regime.

• The time of the Weimar Republic was characterised by multiple crises, such as the world economic crisis and the mass unemployment, which devastated the young Republic.

Nazi regime (1933-1945) and the Second World War (1939-1945)

• On January 30th 1933, Adolf Hitler became the Chancellor of the Weimar Republic.

• In a short period of time the Weimar Republic was changed from a democratic state into a totalitarian dictatorship.

• On September 1st 1939, German troops attacked Poland. This was the reason for the Second World War.

• The Second World War ended with the unconditional surrender of the German Empire on May 8th1945 and with the surrender of Japan on September 2nd 1945.

• Because of the Second World War, 55 to 60 million people died.

Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR (1949-1990)

• The Federal Republic of Germany was founded in the western zone of occupation on May 23rd 1949.

• Because of the Cold War, Germany was divided into East and West. Iron Curtain led across through Central Europe and therefore divided Germany into two parts.

• With the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the last free access from East to West Germany was closed.

Federal Republic of Germany and GDR

Reunification (1989/1990)

• The entry of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) into the Federal Republic of Germany on October 3rd 1990.

• This action was possibly, because of the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th 1989 in Berlin.

Federal Republic of Germany

Overview Migration from and to Germany

• After Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)

• In the middle of the 19th century

• During the First World War (1914-1918)

• During the Second World War (1939-1944)

After Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)

• Persecuted French protestants

• Tax exemption, freedom of religion, financial support

• New cultures, new food, new technologies

In the middle of the 19th century

• Technical know-how “steam power“• Railways

• Tunnels

• Roads

• High salaries for technicians

Economic Boom 1871

• Victory against France

• Polish and Italian immigrants

• Construction sites

• Mines

• Ban on Polish language

During the First World War (1914-1918)

• 1.2 million foreign workers• At first: limited immigration into Germany• Then limited emigration from Germany• 1.6 million war prisoners• Agriculture / war industry

During the Second World War (1939-1945)

• Slavery and deportation

• Work camps

• 7.8 million foreigners

• 500.000 KZ prisoners

• Over 10 million “displaced persons”

Arriving in the United States: Ellis Island

• main immigration port for immigrants main immigration port for immigrants

• CheckupsCheckups

• 3.1 millions came from Germany3.1 millions came from Germany

• every second American has every second American has ancestors who came through ancestors who came through Ellis Island to AmerciaEllis Island to Amercia

• Ellis Island; the island of hopes and tears

• Ellis Island belongs to the two states New Jersey and New York

Arrival on Ellis Island

Ellis Island medical check

The Griesemer Story

• Family history

• Reasons for migrating and problems

• Educational possibilities

• Migration nowadays

Comenius Project

BACK

Family History

BACK

Reasons for migrating

• Economic conditions

• Military duty

– Prussian army

• Foundation of a cobbler enterprise

Educational possibilities

Migration nowadays

• Law of mobility for EU-citizens Visa Sufferance Right to stay Permission to stay Permission to settle