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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 17-Oct-2010
17-Oct-10 News -- Merkel to immigrants: Speak German or leave!

Web Log - October, 2010

17-Oct-10 News -- Merkel to immigrants: Speak German or leave!

Germany's multicultural society is an 'utter failure'

Merkel to immigrants: Speak German or leave!

Germany's multicultural society is an 'utter failure'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel waded knee-deep into the xenophobia debate on Saturday, when she said that Germany's decades-old multicultural policies have "utterly failed," according to Deutsche-Welle.

While saying that Germany had not done enough in the past 30 to 40 years to support the multicultural society, she said that immigrants will have to do more to integrate into German society:

"Anyone who does not immediately speak German is not welcome. Those who want to take part [in our society] must not only obey our laws, they must also master our language."

Correction: I obtained this quote from a news story, but it apparently was a mistranslation. Merkel's actual statement implies that immigrants who learn German after they arrive are still welcome. The first sentence of the quote should be deleted. (Paragraphs added - 23-Oct)

The remarks follow on other controversies surrounding the presence of Arab and Turkish immigrants in Germany. Horst Seehofer, part of Merkel's governing coalition, said last week that Turkish and Arab immigrants were unable to integrate into German society and should no longer be accepted. (See "13-Oct-10 News -- Xenophobia grows in Germany towards Turks, Arabs and Jews.")

Merkel's remarks were condemned by some Jewish groups. The general secretary of the Central Council of Jews said that the idea that immigrants from Turkey and other Arabic countries found it harder to integrate was "not just tactless, but downright irresponsible."

The growing controversy comes at a time when anti-Semitism is also growing in Europe. A new poll indicates that 17% of Germans believe that Jews have "too much influence," according to Ynet.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was recently forced to condemn anti-Semitism, after Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade went on an anti-Jewish rant on Belgian radio, according to Ynet. And anti-Semitism is growing in Hungary, as we described in "15-Oct-10 News -- Red sludge and anti-Semitism spread in Hungary." (Paragraph updated, 17-Oct)

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 17-Oct-10 News -- Merkel to immigrants: Speak German or leave! thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (17-Oct-2010) Permanent Link
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