On October 3, we celebrate the re-establishment of Greater Germany. Hungary put everything into this back then, providing shelter, food and support to those who did not want to return home, transporting them to the border, dismantling fences, and taking on the criticism of the Eastern bloc and possible Soviet retaliation. Let’s not forget that in the summer of 1989, the soft communists were still in power, and even though they sat down at the round table with the opposition, they still commanded the armed forces. They may have been thinking about survival and transferring power, but their reactions were unpredictable. Germany was grateful for a while, then began to forget the selfless help, and now sees Hungary as a common enemy of the West. The name of the Prime Minister representing Hungarian interests has been demonized, his name now means more than himself and his constitutional dignity, his name has become a borrowing term in German: Orbanisierung. This is what it’s called when a group, party, or country shapes, thinks, and acts according to Orban’s principles, representing national interests. For example, in the issue of migration. The other day I read in a reputable German newspaper that Orbán’s migration policy is pushing Europe to the right, Europeanizing the Europeans according to Orban. They would never think that migration has changed the way Europeans think.
Now, on the 34th anniversary of German reunification, I remember 2015, the quarter-century jubilee and the year of mass migration. The whole of Germany celebrated then, there were fireworks and street parties, beer flowed, and sausage was consumed. Hungary’s role in the German reunification was hardly mentioned in the festive speeches, as the great German unity, from Bismarck through Hitler to the present day, was created with the assistance of the enlightened West, and they no longer ask us about it now. It was enough that we, as now, did the dirty work. A prominent part of the celebration was German solidarity, which was then manifested in the reception of refugees. In a special edition of the liberal newspaper Die Zeit, friendly faces of all colors smiled on the front page at the readers. “Wir sind die Neuen!” – the headline proclaimed, and interviewed the “New Ones” who found refuge in Germany. They recounted their escape stories, humiliations, fears, and all of them radiated openness, a desire to find a new home where democracy, tolerance, and above all human rights exist. Until now, they had to do without these, but now they can learn, work, and integrate, because they have found a new home in the welcoming, multicultural Germany. They say they will overcome the difficulties, even though they never believed that Chancellor Merkel’s hospitality would only be enough for a campsite.
I recall all this on this year’s anniversary because Germany’s biggest problem is caused by the well-meaning Willkommen culture. The initial “Wir schaffen das” has become an unsolvable task, the country’s population structure has changed, and the once famous order and reliability have disappeared. According to 2023 data, 21.2 million people, a quarter of the population, have an “immigration story.” This is a new category recently created for those whose both parents and themselves are immigrants. Nine million of them already have a German ID, the rest are still waiting for this honor. These people should not be confused with those with a “migration background,” where at least one parent is German, or they were born in Germany. They are the integrated ones, along with them, 29% of the population are not true Germans. However, the Agency says there is no need to panic, as two-thirds of migrants come from Europe.
However, the statistics are cause for concern. The number of asylum seekers was between twenty-five to fifty thousand annually until 2012, which was manageable. In 2015, this number jumped significantly, and the records until the end of last year showed 2.5 million refugees or asylum seekers. Just think about the additional administration that needs to be handled with this many people in the precise German world, providing housing, social and health care, kindergarten, and school for the children. Even rich Germany has difficulty with this, which is why the euphoria of reception has long since passed. The state spends as much on the care of refugees as it does on defense, 50 billion euros. We will never know the actual cost, as refugees are distributed within the country based on internal quotas, the support received from the center must be supplemented by the provinces, and they further share part of the responsibility with the municipalities. This means that every German citizen feels the burdens of the irresponsibly assumed reception. Today they no longer say refugee, instead the term migrant has become common, some even add the term illegal. Because it is estimated that about three hundred thousand people live illegally, with rejected asylum applications in Germany, who, thanks to diligent human rights organizations, cannot be deported.
Crime statistics show that last year 5.9 million crimes were committed in Germany, of which the number of violent crimes exceeded two hundred thousand, with thirteen thousand committed with a knife. That means 586 violent acts, 40 knife attacks, and two group sexual assaults occur daily. There are more and more young people with a “migration story” among the perpetrators. “Despite this, Germany is one of the safest countries in the world,” says Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, “we are a strong rule of law, and we have excellent police officers.” I do not dispute the latter.
For example, the excellent police officers serving in Suhl, Thuringia, have decided to restore order in the city. Suhl has become a symbol over time of failed integration, violence by migrants, and a vulnerable, completely helpless population. Suhl has a refugee shelter, a fenced-in, overcrowded, notorious place. Revolts, brutal fights, and destructive orgies characterize life here. The refugees set fires, attack the staff, and create fear and terror in the city as well. Citizens have been complaining for years about the lawless and disrespectful behavior of mostly North African or Middle Eastern young men.
The local authorities’ patience has run out. They decided to do something about the criminal excesses. The police chief decided to educate the young people living off the Germans’ bread at the refugee center on how to behave in a European host country. One hundred twenty migrants were invited to basic training to familiarize themselves with German rules. “You are guests in our country,” the police chief began, “you must learn what the laws and order mean, what rules, norms, duties, expectations apply to you.” With police severity, he immediately turned off the mobile phones, removed the face-covering hats, and confiscated the knives. He explained the rules of mutual respect, what the expected polite and correct behavior is, that in this country people do not usually get angry, shout, or gesticulate wildly. Here, if one goes for a walk, you do not carry a knife, brass knuckles, or any dangerous object with you. If you do, then during a police check, you surrender it politely, because one must obey the authorities.
These policemen were not softies. Their appearance, militaristic demeanor, and determination radiated strength. From the silence of those present, it was evident that they had achieved their goal because these people could only be spoken to in the language of power. The social worker was listened to with bowed heads, as she explained with pictures how to use an English toilet and toilet brush properly, showed what a clogged toilet looks like, the litter thrown away, and why it is not good if cockroaches move into the mattresses.
Unfortunately, I did not see the presentation live, but the description in Focus.de was very graphic and instructive. Perhaps if the migrant sympathizers approached the newcomers from their own culture and taught them the expectations of the host country, the Germans would have fewer problems. They could celebrate this year’s anniversary of German reunification more calmly, without having to think about their own divisions. After all, migration not only politically, once again divided Germany.
