in their own words˜… we can do it – if everyone does ...€¦ · photos: corbis | florian...

A LAND OF IMMIGRANTS 20 percent of the German population has a migrant back-ground. German society could not survive without integration.PAGES 2, 3

FATEThree refugees tell their story. PAGE 4

COSTS AND OPPORTUNITIESRefugees cost the state a lot of money.PAGE 6

Dieter FockenbrockHandelsblatt Düsseldorf

Sometimes, simple words make history. A sen-tence spoken by Angela Merkel this summer is surely among them. “We can do it (Wir schaff en

das).” The Chancellor said this as thousands of refu-gees were travelling through Hungary and Austria in the hopes of reaching Germany. Syrian refugees were especially pleased to hear these words. They felt invi-ted to leave their war-ravaged country, escape death or persecution, and fi nd safety with us.

More than one million refugees made their way to Germany in 2015. Living with the whole family in a narrow container or with strangers in a gym is better than fi ghting for survival in Syria - caught between the troops of a dictator and IS terrorists. Who can blame these people for fl eeing from such circumstances?

But now, many Germans are arranging Merkel’s words a little diff erently: “Can we do it? (Schaff en wir das?)”. Are a million refugees too many for a country

with 81 million inhabitants? That only amounts to about 1.3 per cent of the population.

Nevertheless, the friendly mood toward refugees is starting to shift. The events on New Year’s Eve in Cologne, where large groups of foreign men harassed women, contributed to this attitude change. In the wake of the devastating terrorist attacks in Paris, an in creasing number of Germans are worried about Islamic terrorism and doubt that we can really do it. Many are torn between the fear of terror and the desire to help those in need.

But the most important question is: “HOW can we do it?” Hundreds of thousands of refugees need homes – they can’t live in makeshift tents forever. They need jobs, their children must go to school. Many of them must learn that life in Germany is diff e-rent than their homeland. For instance, they need to accept that women have the same rights as men. They must accept our democratic system and our laws. And we need to explain this to them. If we start there, we can do it.

1.1 million refugees came to Germany in 2015. Now we must learn how to live together in harmony.

Feb./March 2016ISSUE 37NEWCOMER zeitung fÜr

schÜler

handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

We can do it – if everyone does their part

Photos: Corbis | Florian Boillot/Demotix; Aydan Özoğuz

For several weeks now, hundreds of thousands of people have been fl eeing from terror, war and poverty. Many of them have come to Germany seeking protection. They come with a wide range of experiences, fears and hopes. The situation represents a major

national challenge that we at the Handelsblatt Newcomer want to cover accordingly. That is why this issue focus-es exclusively on the topics of migration and integration.

If we are to achieve the latter, it will be because we as a coun-

try worked together, across genera-tions, to overcome this challenge.

Hans Kaminski, Co-editor of the Handelsblatt Newcomer

WHY A SPECIAL EDITION?

IN THEIR OWN WORDS�…

» We need to ensure that the children receive a good education. «Aydan Özoğuz, Integration Commissioner for the Federal Government (see also page 3)

Refugees &Integration

2


Feb. /March 2015, ISSUE 37HANDELSBLATT FOCUS

Karl-Josef BurkardInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

On 10 September 1964, Germany held a welcoming event in Cologne for the millionth immigrant worker – com-

plete with flags, speeches and a moped as a gift. Called “Gastarbeiter” in German (guest workers), these male workers came to Ger-many via recruiting agreements Germany had made with their home countries. These included Italy (1955), Spain and Greece (1960), Turkey (1961), Morocco (1963), Portugal (1964), Tunisia (1965) and Yugoslavia (1968). They left the impoverished Mediterranean regions by the millions to work in coal mines, at construc-tion sites and on assembly lines in a country experiencing an “economic miracle”. At the time, no one expected these “guest workers” would stay forever – neither the Germans nor the immigrants. Their work contracts general-ly lasted for nine to twelve months.

But, as the German labour market expe-rienced a continued shortage of labour, the guest workers had their contracts extended. As months turned into years, many of them moved their families to Germany. Unfortu-nately, no one considered how to integrate them into German society. For instance, there were no mandatory German courses for the immigrants. As a result, many of them could not speak or understand German – even after a long stay in Germany

When Germany’s seemingly endless growth came to an end with the oil crisis in 1973, the federal government ended its recruit-ment contracts. There would be no new guest workers. For many years from that point on, family reunifi cation was the only legal way to immigrate to Germany.

However, a large part of the general public in 1973 (and many pol-iticians as well) did not think that over four mil-lion migrants and family members were planning to live permanently in Germany. The German Chancellor at the time, Helmut Schmidt, said in 1981: “The Federal Republic of Germany is not and does not want to be-come a country of immigration.”

In the late 1980s and 1990s, the govern-ment under Chancellor Helmut Kohl not only

made it more difficult for migrant family members to immigrate to Ger-many, but urged the guest workers to return to their homelands. For one

year, the gov-ernment off ered “fi nancial return as-sistance” for those who volunteered to return to their homeland.

At the same time, the largest wave of migration since the end of the Second World War began to sweep across Europe. Many people left their

homeland in the direction of the European Union (EU). This was triggered by the fall of the “iron curtain” in 1989 and the resulting border openings in Eastern Europe. Before,

citizens from the former GDR, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria were generally not allowed to travel or emigrate to the West.

Furthermore, various (civil) wars broke out at the beginning of

the 1990s – for example in the former Yugoslavia. People fled these war zones and sought protection in the EU.

The number of asylum seekers in Germany rose rapidly. Similar to today, the high number of applications led to long processing times and increased expenses for the cities and commu-nities as they worked to provide the necessary accommodations. During this period, some very serious riots took place and violence against refugees increased.

The Bundestag responded and added limits to the basic right to political asylum guaran-teed in Article 16 of German Basic Law with the so-called third-country regulation in 1993. Now,

For decades, foreigners have sought a new start in Germany. Over the years, the country has learned the importance of integration.

According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, 1.1 million refugees came to Germany in in 2015. This number is provided by the o�cial registrations system. On this basis refugees are distributed across the various German states. In contrast only 442,000 asylum applications were submitted in 2015. The large gap between these two figures suggests that the Federal O�ce for Migration has not yet received all asylum applications.

MacedoniaAlbania

Serbia/Kosovo

SyriaIraq

Eritrea

Afghanistan

Pakistan

The main countries of origin for refugees seeking asylum in Germanyin 2015

Number of applicants

158 657

53 805

33 427

31 382

29 784

16 700

10 876

9 083

8 199

Syria

Albania

Kosovo

Afghanistan

Iraq

Serbia

Eritrea

Macedonia

Pakistan

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Source: The Federal O�ce for Migration and Refugees | *First-time asylum applications

Breakdown of asylum seekers in Germanyby age group in 2015

Under 16 16 – 17 18 – 24 25 – 29 30 – 34 35 – 39 40 – 44 45 – 49 50 – 54 55 – 59 60 – 64 65 and older

26.5%

4.6%

24.8%

15.2%

10.6%

7.1%

4.6%2.9% 1.7% 1% 0.5% 0.5%

48 589 53 347 77 651127 023

202 834

441 899

Number of asylum applications*

overall in Germany from 2010 to 2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Is Germany a Country of Immigration?


the largest wave of migration since the end of the Second


the largest wave of

Refugee

A refugee is anyone who leaves

their home country because of

persecution relating to their religion,

specifi c cultural a� liation or political

convictions. This is specifi ed in the

Geneva Convention. 145 states have

signed this convention - including all

EU member states.

“History shows that integration is

the most important thing.”

Tomma, Year 11

Feb. /March 2015, ISSUE 37 3


HANDELSBLATT FOCUS

people who immigrated through EU member states (or other safe countries in which no po-litical persecution existed) no longer had any right to asylum in Germany. Ten years later, the EU also enacted a regulation that required member states to handle requests for asy-lum from any immigrant entering the EU through that country (Dublin II Regulation).

With about 20 percent of the total population having a migrant background, politicians and soci-ety slowly realized that Germany was indeed a country of immigra-tion. Along with this realization came the understanding that the country would have to do more for integration and that it needed immigrants. One reason Germany needs immigrants is its ageing population. The country will soon have many more old people than young people. If this imbalance is not cor-rected, it could break Germany’s entire social

system. As a general rule, the workers of today fi nance the pensions of the older generation with their social security contributions. This means that we need many people working here (see also page 6).

The Bundestag adopted a law in 2000 that allowed the children of

foreigners to receive German nationality by birth – if their parents lived in Germany for at least eight years and had re-ceived a permanent residence

permit. Between the ages of 18 and 23, the children must choose

their nationality – German or that of their parents. Furthermore, the Immigration Act was enacted in 2005. It requires that new immigrants seeking permanent residence in Germany receive certain integration services. These include German lessons and orienta-tion courses on German politics, society and history, for example.

For decades, foreigners have sought a new start in Germany. Over the years, the country has learned the importance of integration.

Photo: Bundesregierung/Denzel

According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, 1.1 million refugees came to Germany in in 2015. This number is provided by the o�cial registrations system. On this basis refugees are distributed across the various German states. In contrast only 442,000 asylum applications were submitted in 2015. The large gap between these two figures suggests that the Federal O�ce for Migration has not yet received all asylum applications.

MacedoniaAlbania

Serbia/Kosovo

SyriaIraq

Eritrea

Afghanistan

Pakistan

The main countries of origin for refugees seeking asylum in Germanyin 2015

Number of applicants

158 657

53 805

33 427

31 382

29 784

16 700

10 876

9 083

8 199

Syria

Albania

Kosovo

Afghanistan

Iraq

Serbia

Eritrea

Macedonia

Pakistan

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Source: The Federal O�ce for Migration and Refugees | *First-time asylum applications

Breakdown of asylum seekers in Germanyby age group in 2015

Under 16 16 – 17 18 – 24 25 – 29 30 – 34 35 – 39 40 – 44 45 – 49 50 – 54 55 – 59 60 – 64 65 and older

26.5%

4.6%

24.8%

15.2%

10.6%

7.1%

4.6%2.9% 1.7% 1% 0.5% 0.5%

48 589 53 347 77 651127 023

202 834

441 899

Number of asylum applications*

overall in Germany from 2010 to 2015

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Is Germany a Country of Immigration? Q&A WITH

... Aydan ÖzoğuzThe 49-year-old SPD politi-

cian is the Commissioner for Integration for the federal government. She sup-ports the government in promoting social harmo-ny between foreigners

and Germans. She was born and raised in Hamburg by Turkish merchants.

Germany is experiencing its largest wave of immigration in decades. What is the biggest challenge?Over the last few months, our main focus was on fi nding accommodation for the many refugees. But the greatest test still lies ahead: Integrating the people who will stay in Germany.Integration means the equal participation of people with a migration background in the central areas of society – such as education, training, the labour market and healthcare.

With people coming to us from so many dif-ferent countries and cultural backgrounds, how is integration possible?To be successful, integration requires a few very simple things. It is not about whether a person wears a headscarf or not. Instead, the question is whether they share our understanding of democracy and our funda-mental values.

Back in the 1960s, many foreigners came to Germany to work here. Was the integration of this fi rst generation successful?We made a lot of mistakes back then. There were no integration courses or German classes for instance. Nevertheless, some im-migrants managed to integrate into German society through their work.

What can we learn from those past mis-takes?That we need to focus on integration from the start. It is very good that we now o� er language courses to asylum seekers who will be staying in Germany.

How can school pupils help?By engaging with refugees in their environ-ment with openness and curiosity.

The interview was conducted by Melanie Rübartsch, Handelsblatt Düsseldorf.

Approximately 282,720 asylum

applications were processed in 2015 -

about 50 % were approved.

4


Feb. /March 2015, ISSUE 37PROFILE

Photos: privat

*All

reco

rdin

gs f

rom

Sep

tem

ber

2015

.

Fleeing Home, Coming Home?Poverty, war, terror, persecution. There are many reasons why people decide to leave their homeland and family and come to Germany. Some of these people told the Handelsblatt their story.

MORE INFO

You can learn even more about the fate of these three refugees and others in the special edition Handelsblatt “Who are you?”. A download is available here: handelsblattmachtschule.de

I was wearing shorts and fl ip-fl ops when I arrived in Passau in September 2014. I was very cold, but I also felt somewhat safe for the fi rst time in weeks. I had to leave my family in Syria in August 2014. Otherwise, I probably would have been forced to join the army. That was too dangerous. My family decided that I should go – alone. It would have been too expensive for any more of my ten siblings to fl ee. My father paid the smuggler 10,000 euros for my escape. There were seven of us that left on foot one night from Syria to Turkey. I was afraid that soldiers would see us and kill us. From Istanbul we fl ed through Bul-garia, Serbia, Hungary and Austria to Germany.

Sometimes with the bus, sometimes with cars, sometimes on foot. I am now living with another refugee in a two-room apartment. All of the people in Passau are very nice to me. I have already taken four inten-sive German courses. If I pass the fi fth one, I can even study in Germany. That is my dream. Although I am now in safety, I still have a lot of fear – fear for my family. I really hope that the war ends soon. I miss them all very much.

Excerpt of a recording* by Dorit Marschall, Han-delsblatt Frankfurt

Alone on the run Terror followed me Fleeing poverty

I worked as a journalist in Pakistan for ten years. Most recently for the “Express Tribune” in the city of Peshawar, a partner of the “New York Times”. I reported on corruption and the Taliban’s ter-rorism. Thousands of Pakistanis have died in the fi ght against the Taliban. In 2014, I got a call. A Taliban commander told me to give up my job. Otherwise, I would regret the consequences. I went to the police, but they ignored me. Two letters from the Taliban were de-livered to my apartment. In them, they threatened me with death and demanded extortion money. I moved to Islamabad, but then they started calling my brother. My family and friends begged me to

quit my job and fl ee. At fi rst, I didn’t want to, but eventually I booked my escape to Germany. Now, I live at a refugee home in Sigmaringen and have been working for three months at McDon-ald’s. I work because my family depends on me and I don’t want to sit around and do nothing. What do I want? I would like to obtain asylum in Germany, and I would like to work as a journalist again. I want to contribute to the fi ght against terrorism, illiteracy and disease in my home country.

An excerpt from a recording* by Nicole Bastian, Handelsblatt Düsseldorf.

Many people work six days a week in Moldo-va. I earned 150 euros per month – with three children. And life isn’t cheap in Moldova. The costs for electricity, water and heating are very high there. It is an impossible situation. We don’t have anything like Germany’s child allowances in our country. For one and a half years, we get 15 euros per child from the state. Sometimes it was enough for a yoghurt, but it often wasn’t enough to buy milk for my youngest. He is now two and a half. Many people are homeless where I come from. There are two types of people in Moldova: One group fi ghts for survival; the other manages to

do a little better by working all the time. Those who can, leave.My oldest son is 21 years old. He completed school, but has not been able to fi nd work. I want my children to have a better life. I want them to get an education and fi nd work. There is no future for them in Moldova.

An excerpt from a recording* by Kathrin Witsch, Handelsblatt Düsseldorf.

Hassan Hassan (18) from Syria Kamran Khan (31) from Pakistan Valentina Ankir (43) from Moldova

» Life there is a disaster. «» Death threats from the Taliban forced me to flee. «

» At home, I was afraid of ex-plosions. Fleeing, I was afraid for my life. «



COMPANIES AND MARKETS

Stefani HergertHandelsblatt Düsseldorf

The new hire grew up in Turkey and works in a team with a 60-year-old fe-male colleague, while the new trainee

has a disability: Very different people work together in German companies these days. Young and old, men and women, foreigners and Germans, adherents of various religions, people with and without disabilities – Germa-ny has become quite diverse.

Diversity is also an increasingly important topic for companies in Germany. One reason is because Germans are having too few chil-dren. Without immigrants, the population will shrink significantly and companies are concerned that employees will soon be hard to fi nd. Furthermore, companies do business today at a global level – building offices or

factories in Asia or South America, selling products to foreign markets and purchasing raw materials from them. Against the back-drop of globalisation and the country’s low birth rate, many experts and managers are convinced that the German economy needs employees from other countries. Foreign em-ployees come from a diff erent culture, speak diff erent languages and often have a diff erent approach to certain tasks.

That is why many company representa-tives view the refugees coming to Germany as an opportunity – if they are qualified or can become qualifi ed. Employees from other cultures bring certain skills that are hard to fi nd. For example, they can protect their col-leagues from making embarrassing mistakes in international negotiations. Many gestures and symbols are not universal. In Germany, using your thumb and index fi nger to form a circle and leaving the remaining three fi ngers

up indicates that something tastes good. In Brazil, this gesture is seen as an insult. In Ja-pan, it is a sign of money.

Many large companies have created Diversity Management teams in their per-sonnel departments. These train employees to recognize and prevent unconscious dis-crimination and create working conditions in which everyone is treated with equal respect. Companies primarily want to increase di-versity because they believe that it results in greater success.

The consultancy fi rm McKinsey pub-lished a study a few years ago that investigated whether publicly listed companies in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the United States with diverse executive boards per-formed better than those that were

less diverse. The results showed that those companies with women, foreigners or ethnic minorities on their executive boards enjoyed greater business success.

However, this doesn’t mean that diversity is the key to success. Success depends on many factors – such as whether a diverse team learns to work together.

Diversity WinsMany companies are in favour of German and foreign colleagues working together – especially in a globalised economy.

Photos: Corbis | HANNIBAL HANSCHKE/Reuters; Gregory Baldwin/Ikon Images; henkel.de

Asylum SeekersThe term asylum means “refuge/pro-tection”. Asylum seekers are people who apply for this protection in a safe country. If their request is accepted, they are entitled to asylum. In Germany, those that receive asylum receive an initial residence permit for three years.

On the whole, we want to create more mixed teams to enhance our innovation and creativity.

Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler

The role of leaders is to develop the best teams. Generally, the best teams are mixed - with women and men of different nationalities and backgrounds. For us, diversity is a key success factor.

Kasper Rorsted, CEO of Henkel

6


Feb. /March 2015, ISSUE 37

Marcel Fratzscher, German Institute for Economic Research (DIW)Excerpt from a Handelsblatt article from 30 October 2015

The refugee issue has led to a dis-cussion of the economic con-sequences for Germany.

Unfortunately, this discussion is often infl uenced by incorrect information. Many Germans are concerned that their rights to government ser vices and support could be impacted by the costs for refugees. Some worry about

losing their job to refugees willing to work for less money. […] The short-term expenses for refugees are in fact enormous. As a rule of thumb, a refugee costs the German state almost 12,000 euros per year for accom-

modation, food, medical care and administration. For 800,000 refu-

gees, that results in an annual expenditure of about ten billion euros. If a similar number of refugees enter the country in 2016, the costs would rise to 20

billion euros.It goes without saying that this

is a substantial fi nancial burden for the

HANDELSBLATT EXPLAINED

A Handelsblatt article explained

This time on the topic ofcosts and opportunities

of migration

Germany is on the way to becom-ing the number one country for immigration. Integrating all of the refugees who are here to stay is a major economic challenge.

What is the cost of immigration?The state has to provide refugees with accommodation, food and medical care. Education for the children and training for adults is another key expense. Many people in Germany are therefore afraid that the state will run out of money for the social programmes supporting its own citizens. They wonder if

there is enough money to cover everything. The German state will need more tax income to keep a balanced budget.Germany’s economy is currently performing very well. German citizens do not have to worry about reduced state support. It is, however, important that the government take swift action regarding its refugee policy. If the politicians make good decisions and implement them properly, the benefi ts for Germany will far outweigh the costs.

What are the benefi ts of immigra-tion?When the state spends money on refugees, German companies sell more goods and services. The companies and their employees also spend this money and thus contri-bute to economic growth. Furthermore, when refugees start working in Germany, they start paying taxes and social contribu-tions. They thereby further reduce their fi nancial burden on the state and make a direct contribution to economic growth in Germany. However, economic experts disagree

on whether the refugees have a real-istic chance at becoming employed. Some doubt this because many asy-lum seekers have little to no training. Others believe that companies still need low-skilled labour. Additionally, most of the refugees are young. They could be trained and thereby acquire the qualifi cations that busi-nesses seek. It remains to be seen which argument is more accurate.

Sulfi a WeustenfeldInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Photo: Corbis | HANNIBAL HANSCHKE/Reuters

German state. Nevertheless, we must not ig-nore the fact that this money is not only ben-efi ting the refugees, but also many German citizens. The money spent on apartments and accommodation will benefi t the compa-nies and private individuals providing this accommodation. The German construction industry also gets a boost, with increased orders for new buildings. The money spent on food and other goods and services pri-marily benefits German companies and workers. This effect is already having a

noticeable impact on Germany’s eco-nomic growth. Even if only half of the 20 billion euros are spent in this way, this would increase Germany’s GDP by 0.3 percent in 2016.

The money spent on refugees is there-fore similar to a small economic recovery programme – boosting demand and thus the economy.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

is already having a noticeable impact on Germany’s eco-nomic growth. Even

The money spent on refugees is there-The money spent on refugees is there-

ImmigrantsThis term covers all foreigners who want

to permanently settle in another country. It

includes refugees as well as all those who

come to work or study in Germany.

The economy can benefi t from refugees working in Germany.

“Many people don’t see these

positive e� ects because they are not directly a� ected by them.”

Imke, Year 11

A Great OpportunityGermany benefi ts from refugees. Openness for other people is a pillar of Germany’s economic success.



STUDENT JOURNALISTS

Marie Lügger, Julia Schulte, Lilly Sophie Sellere (Year 9)Helene-Lange-School Oldenburg

The topic of refugees seems to follow us everywhere we go. Pupils and teachers at our school wanted to help and there-

fore launched the school-wide working group “Assistance for Refugees”.

Our first programme was to offer child care at a refugee camp in Oldenburg. Since December, about 15 pupils from year 9 and 10 play and teach the children there on a daily basis. At the beginning of the week, we always discuss who can help on which afternoons so everyone knows their responsibilities. Many of the children have experienced horrible things. We want to bring some joy and light into their world. Communication is some-times diffi cult, but the children are very open

to us and learn quickly. It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to put a smile on their faces.

In addition to the child care, other classes have collected further ideas, which are now gradually being implemented. Ex-amples include bicycle donations, crafting groups, baking afternoons, a youth club, theatre projects and sports groups. The projects are coordinated during the lunch break. We are still looking for a venue for our sports programme since there was nothing suitable near the refugee home.

Anyone Can HelpA school in Oldenburg organises a range of programmes for refugee children.

Oldenburg isn’t the only place where pupils and teachers have been looking for ways to help their new neighbours adapt to life in Germany. Youth have started support and welcoming projects at numerous schools across the country. Here are a few examples:

When the gym of the Konrad-Adenauer-Gymnasium in Langenfeld was converted into a temporary refugee camp, the pupils there decided to help. They offered German lessons and converted the ca-feteria into an open meeting place.

Joint football matches and game afternoons have been arranged by some classes at Conrad-von-Ense School in Ense. They organised an open house at the school to en hance the visibility of the project and collect donations.

An info tour at schools in the Upper Allgäu region help-ed the public better under-

stand the refugees and their situation. Asylum seekers in the Bavarian communities talked about their fl ight, their motives and hopes.

The nationwide campaign “Schüler hel-fen Flüchtlingen” (Pupils help refugees) was launched by the initiative “Das macht Schule”. The pupils collected donations via a spon-sored run and are using the funds to fi nance

their own project ideas and to support local refugee initiatives. Schools can download materials for the campaign at das-macht-schule.de. The best welcoming projects will be recognised at the World Refugee Day on 20 June 2016.

Pupils are active across Germany

Photos: Corbis | © Wavebreak Media LTD/Wavebreak Media Ltd.; privat/Helene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg

HERE ARE SOME OTHER IDEAS

Cater parents’ evenings to raise money for refugees, hold a sponsored run or organise events to raise awareness against racism and hate. You can fi nd more ideas and support for small and large school projects on these sites:• uno-fl uechtlingshilfe.de/aktiv-werden• svtipps.de

Refugee projects from across Germany and more inspiration can also be found here:• wie-kann-ich-helfen.info • bamf.de -> Willkommen in Deutschland -> Integrationsprojekte vor Ort

The Oldenburg pupil Chantal Aboki (Year 10) captured the experi-ence of many refugees in this portrait she drew during art classes.

Many people search on the internet for ways to help

8


Feb. /March 2015, ISSUE 37

VOCABULARY

ENGLISCH DEUTSCH

war-ravaged vom Krieg verwüstet

persecution Verfolgung

narrow eng

circumstances Umstände

to be in the wake of sth. im Zuge/Folge von etw. sein

makeshift provisorisch

impoverished arm

construction site Baustelle

assembly line Produktionslinie

mandatory vorgeschrieben

to be triggered by sth. von etw. ausgelöst sein

extortion Erpressung

child allowances Kindergeld

diversity Vielfalt

ENGLISCH DEUTSCH

new hire Neueingestellte

to be against the backdrop of sth.

vor dem Hintergrund von etw. sein

pillar Säule

burden Last

to outweigh überwiegen

to acquire erwerben

to craft basteln

to enhance sth. etw. verbessern / steigern

reception centre Aufnahmezentrum

FUN & FACTS

Hans Kaminski (Direktor IÖB) und Dieter Fo-ckenbrock (Chefkorrespondent Handelsblatt)

ImpressumHerausgeber: Dieter Fockenbrock, V.i.S.d.P. (Handelsblatt) und Hans Kaminski (Institut für Ökonomische Bildung IÖB, Uni Oldenburg)Konzept: Katrin Eggert, Dieter Fockenbrock, Hans Kaminski, Michael Koch Redaktion: Melanie RübartschArt Director: Melanie Petersen Objektleitung: Verena von Hugo Koordination: Maren Kienaß, Melanie RübartschLayout und Fotos: Sandra Janzsó, Corinna ThielEnglische Übersetzung: John Dalbey für PONS GmbHVerlag: Handelsblatt GmbH Geschäftsführung: Gabor Steingart (Vorsitzender), Frank Dopheide, Ingo RieperKasernenstr. 67, 40213 Düsseldorf, Tel.: +49 (0) 211-887-0Druck: kuncke druck GmbH,Kornkamp 24, 22926 AhrensburgMitarbeiter dieser Ausgabe: Lehrer und Schüler der He-lene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg (Ortrud Reuter-Kaminski, Victor Borghardt, Hanne Hägele, Anton Herrschel, Emma Jensen, Marie Lügger, Yannoh Mügge, Tomma Otzen, Freia Rose-Borsum, Kaja Schönborn, Julia Schulte, Hanna Sczesny, Lilly Sophie Sellere, Imke Thomssen)Fragen und Feedback: [email protected] Handelsblatt Newcomer erscheint alle zwei Monate.Lehrkräfte können den Handelsblatt Newcomer für ihre Schüler kostenlos bestellen:handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Bildmaterial mitfreundlicher Unterstützung von:

Programme mitfreundlicher Unterstützung von:

Schüler und Lehrer können eine englische Übersetzung des Handelsblatt Newcomers auf unserer Internetseite kostenlos als PDF herunterladen. Mehr Infos unter: handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Handelsblatt Newcomer auf Englisch auf Englisch

An dem Handelsblatt Schüler-wettbewerb Wirtschaft und Finanzen econo=me können Schüler gruppen ab Klasse 7 bis zum 29. Februar 2016 teilnehmen.

Alle Infos unter: handelsblattmachtschule.de/econo-me

The majority of refugees reach Germany via Bavaria. Many of them request asy-lum and can remain in Germany for the

time being. But their trip generally does not end there. From Munich, Passau or Freilassing, they continue on to a reception centre. These are located throughout Germany.

How many refugees each state receives is regulated by a fixed quota. This quota is meant to en-sure that the burdens associated with taking on refugees are fairly distributed. The quota is calculat-ed each year using the Königstein formula. Tax revenue and the number of inhabitants for each federal state are used to determine the quota. Tax revenue is given a higher weight (two-thirds) in the calculation. This means that states with more people and higher tax revenues have to accommodate more asylum seekers than those with less.

In 2015, North Rhine-Westphalia took in the most refugees, followed by Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The lowest rates belonged to Bremen, Saarland and Mecklen-

burg-Western Pomerania.The Königstein formula has been

around since 1949. It was originally de-signed to distribute the costs of research facilities between the individual states. For roughly the last ten years, it has also been used for the distribution of asylum seekers. The procedure is not without criticism, however. Some think that rental prices and unemployment rates should also be factored into the calculations.

Simone MalzInstitute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Is it true that …*

… there is a special distribution principle for asylum seekers? The “Königstein formula” determines how many asylum seekers each federal state can be allotted.

Photo: Sebastian Damberger

*�� The questions for “Is it true that...” are submitted by students. Suggestions can be submitted at: [email protected]

The next HNEWCOMER

will be published in November.

It will cover numerous topics,

including EXCHANGE RATES.

in their own words˜… we can do it – if everyone does ...€¦ · photos: corbis | florian...

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