LL-L "Ethnicity & nationality" 2003.01.15 (13) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 15.JAN.2003 (13) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
 S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Thomas Byro <thbyro at earthlink.net>
Subject:  LL-L "Ethnicity & nationality" 2003.01.15 (05) [E]

Ron

I have wondered what my status would be.  My father was a Hungarian national
from Siebenbuergen who wound up in Germany thanks to a stint as a sort of
commando in the Luftwaffe.  He became quite fluent in Plattdeutsch (he loves
to speak Plattdeutsch)and Hochdeutsch but was stateless.  Because he was
stateless, so was I.  The first time I became a citizen anywhere was in the
U.S.  My mother was a German citizen.

Tom Byro----------

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language varieties

Criostóir:
> How many Aussiedler in Germany have proficiency in, or use as a home
language, any
> of the Lowlands languages (e.g., Low Saxon, Plautdietsch) they took with
them in the 18th
> Century? All the Germans I have asked here in Derry (mainly from the
Chemnitz area)
> have said that hardly any Aussiedler speak their ancestral languages any
more,
> preferring Russian (although there did appear to be a hint of stereotype
to it all).

This has long been a mystery to me.

It appears that Germany has a highly discriminatory repatriation system.
Basically, only *certain* "Germans" enjoy a relatively easy return to the
_Vaterland_.  These are, by and large, the _Aussiedler_ ("out-settlers") in
the east (vs. ordinary _Auswanderer_ 'emigrants').   We are talking about
descendants of Germans who centuries ago left the territory of what at that
time was considered Germany, specifically *eastward*.  While people who
emigrated to other places, and their descendants (if proven German-rooted),
are considered _Auslandsdeutsche_ ("Germans living abroad") and might be
referred to as _Deutsch-Amerikaner_, _Deutsch-Kanadier_,
_Deutsch-Australier_, _Deutsch-Brasilianer_, _Deutsch-Chilenen_, etc., they
do not enjoy the same, rather generous repatriation package.  According to
the latest laws, they may get German citizenship restored only if they can
prove links with Germany (such as relatives), loyalty to some measure of
German language and/or culture (whatever that may be), and sufficient
finances to sustain them in Germany without public assistance.  In contrast,
"German" minorities of Eastern Europe, especially of the former Soviet
Union, do not need to pass as stringent a test and do not have to prove
financial self-sufficiency (being assumed too poor, while those elsewhere
are expected to be wealthy).

I have never begrudged the latter this perk, even though apparently many
pass as "German" who are not and who may have had one or two German
ancestors in the distant past or who were merely *considered* German in the
east.  Some German-born Germans do begrudge them that and refer to them
stereotypically as _Russen_ ("Russians") -- and not very many of these
"Russians" arrive with any German language proficiency, usually continuing
their Russian culture and language in Germany (and I think that's just fine
too).  However, exactly what criteria are used and how they are being used
to determine if someone is "German" eludes me.  Does it include any of the
minority languages and cultures?  My guess is that Lowlands Saxon ("Low
German") would pass the test because it used to be considered (and is still
considered, at least privately) part of German.  Frisian might pass the test
too, given sufficient explanations and exact geographic data.  Sorbian (a
West Slavonic language unique to Germany)?  Hmmm ...  I think an English-
and Sorbian-speaking person whose ancestors emigrated from Germany to Texas,
for instance, would have a lot of explaining and pushing to do and would
need to show some sort of ancient birth certificates.   A Romany speaker
with no German proficiency but ancestry in Germany?  I dunno ... It would be
hard without papers to prove it.   But then again, perhaps I am
unjustifiably underestimating the knowledge, flexibility and openmindedness
of today's average German immigration official.   I hope I am.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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