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GERMANY: Germany’s culture of welcoming refugees has taken a less desirable turn with discussions on drawing a line and limiting the number of refugees to accept. Organizational problems are increasing and the conservative CSU parties are calling for a halt to the influx. However the 747 anti-refugee recorded incidents and the conflation of jihadists and refugees are not legitimate tools with which to examine the issue.
Citizens in the eastern areas of Germany are influenced by the right wing AFD party and the pro-Pegida Monday demonstrations – the fact that criminal figures for refugees are no higher than the indigenous population is totally ignored.
There is a scandal arising in Saxony-Anhalt concerning a teachers’ union magazine article which has purportedly urged German girls to stay away from Muslim men in order to prevent sexual assaults. The article focuses its claims on the uneducated, young, good-looking men who do not harbor good intentions and has received severe criticism from many German politicians.
The Education Minister in Saxony-Anhalt, Stephen Dorgerloh, has accused the magazine of promulgating prejudice and spreading ‘half-truths’. Claudia Dalbert, the state Green Party leader, also criticizes the article saying that its content is baseless and serves the views of the far-right. On her Facebook page one commentator agreed and added ‘What about uneducated, young German men? Don’t they have sexual needs?’
Sexual behavior in German has obviously changed in recent times with girls from as young as 12 years old having sexual contacts with young German men, some becoming pregnant. But the comments reflect fears and prejudices too. One claims Afghan men treat women like ‘…dirt’ and women wearing skirts are seen as ‘fair game’. An Indian commentator asked ‘…if it was okay for German girls to have sex with German men but not foreigners?’
Left-wing party leader, Birke Bull, talks of ‘agitation’ and is dismayed at the article, but CDU education expert, Hardy Peter Güssen, has been reserved in his response to the censure, admitting the words of the writer, Jürgen Manke, are partly inflammatory and unfortunate.
Jürgen Manke defends his warnings: ‘In many places [he has] spoken to colleagues who report occurrences of sexual assaults on public transport and in supermarkets. As responsible teachers they are asking how they can prevent these young girls from having sexual encounters with Muslim men.’ The so-called ‘responsibility’ does not include sexual assaults by German men and the numbers of violations, along with murder, are rising in official crime statistics.
The article does not cast state-employed, East German teachers in a good light, perhaps due somewhat to the history of the failed GDR, wherein people lived a more insulated existence; many former GDR residents having never spoken to a Muslim in their life. It seems true to say these reports are increasing fears and prejudices; responsible teachers are not exempt from these xenophobic feelings which pose a threat to peaceful integration. Politicians face a big task to curb these attitudes and Germany risks losing its good reputation towards the migrants.
By Our Corespondent Claudia Waedlich, Germany
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