German-Turkish Culture: Guest Workers, Doner Kebabs And Cultural Identity | Meet The Germans

Turkish culture can be spotted all over Germany – in fact Rachel was introduced to the Lahmacun or "Turkish pizza" on one of her first trips to Cologne. For this episode of Meet the Germans, she finds out more about the legacy of the "Gastarbeiter" or guest worker generation in Germany and what it's like to be part of the German-Turkish community today.

Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic – from language to food to surprising laws. This week: German-Turkish culture.

#MeetTheGermans #Germany #Turkey #DWEuromaxx

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[dweuromaxx]

What are your thoughts or questions on this topic?

[eastfrisianguy]

In the mid-1990s, we had only one Turkish family in my rural village in East Frisia (north-west Germany), and I started school with one of their boys. He hardly spoke any German, I spoke no Turkish, but we still understood each other and he learned the language very quickly. I was often invited to his family's house and was treated like one of their own children. One day I had an operation, was pretty sick and while none of the neighbours or my (german) mates showed up, he suddenly appeared at the door with his whole family to celebrate my recovery. When they realised that my family circumstances were in disarray (parents divorced, I stayed with my father), I became much more closely integrated into the Turkish family. They did it without condemnation, most of the (German) neighbours or village people talked behind their backs and there was hardly any help, as a single father my father had a hard time, that was not a given back then. My father, in turn, knew that there were always watchful eyes on us boys (we only had shenanigans in our heads and made a lot of pranks, hehe!). We in turn helped the Turkish family when they needed support in dealing with the administration. Unfortunately, they moved away when I was around 12 and the contact broke off.

Three weeks ago, my father was refereeing football ("soccer") in our closest district town and a Turkish player came up to my father - it was the boy from back then! My father first did not recognise him, because he is an adult (like me 34 years old).The whole family was greeted, I was to be sent greetings and I have rarely been so happy about news from home! 😊

I learned a bit of Turkish culture back then, could even speak a bit of Turkish and Kurdish (but forgot it all again) and loved the food! We Germans can learn so much from the way they treat children / family in general and especially from their warmth and hospitality!

[timoleon]

My father was very proud of being a Gastarbeiter. He liked the word very much, because being a guest is something very honorable. He felt very welcome here in Germany and stayed for almost 40 years. As for the problem of being a child of two cultures: I am a European citizen.

[ardiris]

When I was an exchange student in Köln in 1979, many Turkish shared our dorm floor, and thus the kitchen. I shopped where they shopped and cooked using their recipes. The dual culture shocks of attending a German university by day and living on a Turkish dominated dorm floor by night was a truly thrilling experience.
(:

[TheSwedishRider]

Extremely well researched and voices that needed to be heard! All important points in just under 10 minutes, respect! It covered what my Turkish friends told me!

[peterhomann]

My father was "Betriebsratsvorsitzender" (chair person of the worker's council) in a large German brewery, which hired many "Gastarbeiter", Turks, Yugoslavians, Italians, Spaniards and surprisingly quite a few Brazilians These were mostly young men who had no family or social circle (yet), lived in company sponsored dorms, which were, let's say adequate.
Especially during the holidays these young men did not really have anything to do, so my dad invited many to join our family during Christmas. There were sometimes 20 or more people and perhaps 2 or 3 spoke the same language. It still is one of my fondest childhood memories.

[eleanorabernathy]

I feel like this topic is not known to a lot of the world, so, as someone with turkish roots myself, I am grateful to you for making this video.

[esoterra]

When my father came to Germany (Blackforest), he lived in a rented condo. He and his tenant became very good friends and the homeowner even wanted to inherit the house to my father after a couple of years, because he hated his own family. My father didn't accept this and organized to reconcile with his own family. Which they then did. After the successful reconciliation, my father moved out and brought my mother to Germany too. I'm proud to be a child of the Blackforest as much as I'm proud to be from the Black Sea. I sometimes joke about the following: I'm a Turk (Made in Germany) <3

[OmerBerkman]

A very sensitive subject covered very well IMHO. As a Turkish expat ( not living in Germany ) I learned a lot. Thank you! Germany is one of my favorite destinations for holidays by the way.

[aniketgawali]

At every major train station you go here in Germany, the first food outlet you see is almost always a Döner shop. That's how popular it is, and needless to say I love it :)

[altanreis]

Amazing content, thank you for making this informative video.

My grandfather moved to Cologne in the early 1960s and also worked at the Ford Motor Company. He was as old as me back then and started a family here in this beautiful city. Without the work, accomplishments and achievements under hard conditions, their descendants would not be able to live here in convenience.

RIP to those "Gastarbeiter" who passed away and a long blessed and healthy life for those who still are living and sharing their amazing stories with us.

[YoungTthailand]

I was an exchange student in Esslingen am Neckar in 2008. Döner was one of my fav lunch. After coming back to Thailand, I could get along so well with other formers exchange students who were in Turkey. They were so surprised by how much I know about Turkish culture.

[burakcihan]

It would be also nice to comment ongoing migration of skilled people from Turkey (New Wave Turks) due to political and financial issues as we are considerably a large community as well. Interrelationship with the existing Turkish diaspora is somewhat complicated. Many people that I've met here always refer differences between New Wave Turks and the existing ones. From political perspectives to the way of living. Maybe an idea for another video! Good job Rachel! Love your videos!

[chandrasekarvenkataramani]

Wonderful and informative topic. Kudos. Would love to hear more about the diverse cultures in Germany and their historical connections !

[simba]

I am a soldier and was stationed in Germany...the doner kebabs / Dürüms are amazing and they all have their individual taste from bistro to bistro. Definitely something we need in the US
Greetings from Hawaii

[Pancakiii]

You mentioned a very important point, which is that turks who came here in the 60's and 70's were discouraged to learn the language because they were seen as temporary work force, not as people immigrating. Therefore, there are still loads of older turkish people, especially women, just like you mentioned, who can't speak German very well. Germans tend to be indignant about it because they don't know the full story and that's what makes it so frustrating for me. Turkish people make very awesome friends 🥰 Very glad they are part of the German culture.

[hazalonthego]

(I am Turkish )I had a bad experience studying at Goethe institute in Berlin. I was also using the accommodation the language school provided. I was living with a 60 year old German lady. That lady was incredibly hostile towards me but in my Turkish culture we are taught to not disrespect an elder even at the face of being disrespected. Hence I did not report the lady to the school I did whatever she asked me. but it came to a point when she accused me of stealing the hairdryer which was also there for me to use.. I had forgotten to bring the hair dryer back from my room to the bathroom. She banged my door 5 am in the morning shouting YOU THIEF. Next day I went to the school crying hysterically and explained all the mistreatment. As I was 23 years old young and naive I did not understand why she treated me such but now ı understand it was racism. I wasn't allowed in the living room I wasn't allowed to use the internet at the house and more things like this. I was treated as if I was an infectious disease. I feel bad for her. Goethe institute should do checks on people that works for them.

[critoris]

I have moved to Germany in February 2021 and I have seen so many differences between Turkish people in Germany and in Turkey. I feel like Turkish people in Germany are a bit more conservative in terms of religion and "customs". I think this might be a reflex to the marginalisation by a totally different country, culture and religion. Additionally most majority of them had been sent to Germany from villages, where education levels were probably very low... I can also spot so many differences between New Wave Turks and Turks who have been born and raised in Germany. Really interesting...

[altaykaan]

My grandfather was guestarbeiter/worker in German mines. But in the 80s with German incentives he came back to Turkiye again permanently. My mother born in Germany but she was 8 years old when they moved back. I raised up in Türkiye and i am an engineer but now i came back to Germany for my master degree and i am learning German language/culture.
In the video, you have should mention about German founders of first vaccination of covid19 has Turkish roots (Uğur Şahin, Özlem Türeci).

[lesgibson]

As a 25 years old Turkish who was born, raised and still lives in Turkey I think that most of the Turks in Germany haven't adapted to Germany and the society. Mostly, they've created a parallel society and they still live in that society. Turkish guest workers who immigrated in 60s and 70s, were the rural people of Turkey. Most of them, nowadays, still have that religious and conservative Turkish culture. They think that, in order to not get assimilated they have to protect and conserve their culture. As a political science student I have to state that, at the last general elections of Turkey which held in 2018, 74% of Turks who live in Germany voted for Erdoğan and his political party. In Turkey, elections are not only elections but also a counting of identities. Turkish people tend to vote according to their social identities. The fact that 74% of Turks who live in Germany voted for Erdoğan demonstrates that, the majority of them are still not adapted to Western/German norms, civilization and mindset. Voting for an Islamist such as Erdoğan is an unacceptable thing for me. As long as they do not adapt to German norms and society, the "Kulturkampf" will be going on.