Multi-cultural in Salzgitter: concerns and opportunities of immigration!

Multi-cultural in Salzgitter: concerns and opportunities of immigration!

Reporting on migration in Germany often reveals a multifaceted and complex reality. Particularly interesting is a current ZDF report by Sarah Tacke entitled “Flight and Crisis – 10 Years of ‘We Can Do It’”, which takes a close look at the developments of the last few years. The documentary shows how Angela Merkel welcomed refugees to Germany in 2015 with her famous sentence “We can do it” and what consequences this still has today. Loud Focus Citizens' concerns, which have grown in recent years, are more clearly in focus.

Tacke has launched a call on social networks to collect citizens' opinions on migration. The results are predominantly characterized by fears that arise in view of the high immigration numbers. Many of the refugees came from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2024, there were 975,060 Syrian immigrants in Germany alone - an increase from 118,196 in 2014. The numbers illustrate the dramatic increase in refugees in recent years, an issue that is touched not only on a political level, but also in the everyday lives of those affected and residents in cities like Salzgitter.

The multicultural Salzgitter

Especially in Salzgitter, where the proportion of foreigners is 34.7%, many citizens feel overwhelmed by immigration. Tacke reports on encounters with people like Haithem Lafi, a Syrian who runs a fashion store. Lafi does not see himself as a stranger and describes the city as multicultural. His environment is characterized by a large number of Arabic-speaking people, which strengthens the feeling of belonging for both him and many others. This is in contrast to the feeling of isolation that many in the city feel due to massive immigration.

But there are also inspirations and positive stories, like that of Niro Degen, another Syrian immigrant who successfully completed his teaching exams in Germany. Degen speaks fluent German and changed his Arabic first name to avoid discrimination. He reports on his diverse experiences: of discrimination, but also of solidarity and support. These different perspectives reflect the divided opinion that is discussed in society about migration.

The numbers behind the debate

A current migration report from the BAMF, which was presented on January 15, 2025, presents further interesting figures that shed light on the context of the discussion about migration in 2023. Overall it happened 1,932,509 immigrations to Germany. Compared to 2022, there was a decline in net migration of 54.7%, which can be explained in particular by the decline in refugees from Ukraine. The main countries of origin of asylum seekers remained Syria, Türkiye and Afghanistan, while 329,120 initial asylum applications were submitted in 2023 - an increase of 51.1% compared to 2022.

This current data helps to complete the picture of migration in Germany. A look into the past shows that the refugee crisis brought turbulence and challenges that Angela Merkel and her government had to overcome. From a predicted increase to 800,000 refugees in 2015 to the ongoing debates about integration measures and the population's reactions, it is clear that this issue remains a constant flash point in Germany.

The ZDF documentary “Flight and Crisis – 10 Years of ‘We Can Do It’” will also be broadcast next Thursday at 10:15 p.m. and could offer further insights into this multifaceted topic.