The European Identity – The Impact of Migration on European Culture

Questions on the subject:

Name:       O B

Age:          39 years, born in the town of Balador / Casachstan (Russia), mechanical engineer

Where are you from ?

I come from Novosibirsk, a Russian city. I’m of German decent. My great-grand-              parents came from Germany at the end of the 19^th century. They got land in the     region  of  Caucaus. They had to go to the Ucraine as “Germans” and in 1941 to Casachstan. After that a part of the family went to Russia, to Novosibirsk. We always were treated as “Germans”.

Why did you leave your country / your home of residence ?

Life in Russia got harder and harder. There was only little money for the hard and long  work. Food was very expensive. Crime was raising considerably. Going along the streets became more and more dangerous  especially for women. In the 70ies the first relatives were allowed to leave Russia and move to the Federal Republic of  Germany.

In 1992 I also made an application for moving for my family. They put me off from month to month. Papers sent by post got lost. I had to do several language courses, and I had to wait and wait.

In 1997 it was time.

Did you come alone or with your family ?

We were 6 people, my mother, my sister with her son and me with my two children Irina (13) and Andreas (6).

How ere you received ?

We directly came to Bramsche, a twon near Osnabrueck. There we got the  necessary papers. We wanted to go to our relatives to North Rhine-Westphalia, but it was not possible. We had to go to Thuringia and came to the evacuation camp in the town  of Eisenberg and then to the village of Wiebelsdorf near the town of Auma. Here I got to know my present partner and we moved to the village of Weissendorf, of course with my children. Everywhere I was treated correctly and politely and my children are feeling very well at the school of  Triebes.

How do you like your new place of residence ?

I feel pretty well in Weissendorf. It’s very quiet there and the forest isn’t far. At  first it was a big change from a town with over a million inhabitants to a village where nothing is going on. But now I’ve got used to it and I think it’s good.

What do you miss most of all ?

I’d like to see my relatives still living in Russia more often. But it’s very difficult to do so.

Have you ever regretted your decision going away ?

                 No, not at all. At least my children have got a future here.