LL-L "Migration" 2005.08.16 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 16.AUG.2005 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Felix Hülsey <felix.huelsey at gmx.de>
Subject: Lowlands-L: Migration

Dear all,

Críostóir wrote:

"I am not at all surprised by the fact that Aussiedler are taught
Standard German and nothing else. Have any Low Saxon or Frisian
organisations questioned this in the cases of Aussiedler settled in Low
Saxon or Frisian-speaking areas?"

I have never heard about such a thing. But even if they have questioned
this, the Aussiedler themselves would probably not want to be "bothered"
with learning a minority language, because as I said they have to learn
German in a short time which they find difficult enough, and being in a
new country they simply have other problems and priorities.

They might of course pick the local language up later, just as other
newcomers often acquire the dialect/accent of their new home region.

Críostóir wrote:

"I was under the impression that about two-thirds of Aussiedler spent
the full three years on assistance and therefore were compelled to live
in their assigned areas. The German Law Journal article I linked
suggested that familial links were not taken into account when
channelling Aussiedler to Lander. Perhaps this has changed since the
article was published?"

I don't have any statistics on the time Aussiedler stay on welfare. What
I meant was that most of them have the ambition to earn their own money
as fast as possible, and that's why they probably would not want to
"waste their time" learning a minority language alongside with German.

Regarding the familial links: from what the Aussiedler I knew told me I
think this position must indeed have changed. We never had anything to
do with the laws though: we just taught them German when they had
already been channelled to Cologne.

Críostóir wrote:

"Perhaps they were still trying to fit in with other Russian speakers. I
have read that Russian Jews in Israel display broadly similar attitudes
toward Yiddish, although obviously Yiddish is no particular help in
learning Israeli Hebrew. The attitude seems to stem from a perception of
Russian as a more cosmopolitan and important world language."

That sounds probable indeed. Come to think of it, the Ukrainian
Kontingentflüchtlinge spoke Russian most of the time, too, even when
Ukrainian was their mother tongue.

Ron wrote:

"I don't think cultural roots within Germany have ever played a role in
all of this, at least not a significant role.  It would not really be in
the interest of the administration, since _Lokalpatriotismus_ and
cultural and linguistic diversity (and its support by the European
Language Charter) are considered inconveniences (and this goes for
pretty much any country, I dare say)."

I don't think the authorities even think that far. In my view their only
aim is to distribute Aussiedler and the expenses connected with housing
and helping them evenly over the whole country. The authorities surely
don't trace their family origins from centuries back and relocate them
elsewhere to prevent Lokalpatriotismus.

"Besides, the majority of repatriated persons are quite ignorant of
their ancestors' geographic origin and closest ethno-linguistic
relatives. Most never thought beyond "Germany.""

This is indeed true, and if they speak a HG or LS dialect, they don't
know much about it, they just call it "Platt" and consider it inferior.
Perhaps another reason why they wouldn't want to learn any new "Platt".

Greetings from Cologne
Felix Hülsey

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

Thanks, Felix.

Don't forget also, Críostóir and Felix, that these folks belonged to one or 
the other minority all their lives, and this didn't always make for the best 
of times I suppose.  When they apply for repatriation most of the ones 
classified "German" under Soviet power probably have in mind that they are 
now going to their ancestral land joining their people.  I hardly think that 
they would relish the prospect of joining another minority.  Of course, once 
they arrive they soon find out that they are seen and treated as a minority, 
as "Russians."  Those young enough usually manage to find their way out of 
that identity, and I'm pretty sure they strive to be as "normal" as 
possible, to blend in. Those that fail and/or opt out are more likely to 
join fringe communities that are not based on tradition.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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