Introduction to German Identity
The Germans have been fighting over the problems of who is German and what exactly makes someone German for centuries. The current German constitution, which is referred to as the Basic Law, is clear and precise: a German is everyone with a German passport. Citizenship cannot be revoked. And the discrimination against citizens due to their religion, origin or language violates the basic values of the constitution.
Historical Context
This is one of the lessons that were learned from the terrorist rule of the Nazis from 1933 to 1945, which systematically dismissed, terrorized and murdered the Jewish German population, but also Sinti and Roma, homosexual, disabled people and political opponents. They were arbitrarily denied their German identity. 80 years after the end of Nazis rule, however, the basic value of equality is increasingly questioned for all Germans.
The Nuremberg Laws
When Adolf Hitler adopted his so-called "racial laws" by the Nazificed Parliament in Nuremberg on September 15, 1935, the persecution of the Jewish population has long been part of everyday life. The laws had two main regulations: First, they forbid the Jewish population to marry so-called "Aryans", and even made sexual contacts to a criminal offense. In addition, the Jews no longer enjoyed the same rights. It was what we now call legalization of injustice. Although they remained German citizens, they were no longer a citizen of the Third Reich. As a result, they lost their political rights and were explained by citizens of second class.
Racial Discrimination
Racial discrimination is still a problem in Germany today. Although the erasure policy ended in 1945 with the Second World War and the defeat of Nazi Germany and the Germans adopted a new, liberal constitution, the racial discrimination based on the descent does not seem to have been overcome to this day. Some people in Germany are more equal than others, to express it bluntly, the promise of equality in the Basic Law applies especially to people with "German blood". In particular, immigrants experience that they are not protected to the same extent.
Overcoming Racial Discrimination
How can racial discrimination be completed in society? We don’t talk enough about the positive aspects of migration. In Berlin, people are proud that they can travel around the world through the kitchen of the city, and they are proud of their cultural diversity. But migration is more than food and cultural programs: it is about people, their stories and traditions that enrich Germany in the long term. In order to overcome racist and anti-Semitic prejudices against parts of German society, everyone had to contribute to it. It is wrong to wait for the state to act. Each of us – at school, in clubs and in everyday life – can take responsibility.
