It’s been more than 50 years since guest workers (“Gastarbeiter” started to immigrate to Germany from Turkey. Through sweat, blood and tears, this workforced powered Germany’s ‘economic miracle’, and many of them chose to stay – contrary to what had largely been expected. Half a century later, these people still struggle to feel a sense of belonging in their new home. The nature of integration efforts left many in limbo, between belonging and longing. Although full members of society in Germany, they face the pain and stigma of belonging to immigrant society, ranging from stereotyping to xenophobia. Meanwhile, the ideal of a dream homeland offers relief from the daily disappointment, providing mental and psychological shelter to those in need. Social sanctuaries, or protected islands, offer a sense of safety, comfort and homeliness. Within these isolated communities, they can become less welcoming to those they do not recognise as their own. Guest workers from Turkey have distinct, fluid and multifaceted identities, which merge customs from home into new ways of living in Germany.
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