the status of, and attitudes towards, ethnic minorities in the FRG Flashcards
LO: arrival and status of guest workers, economoic downturn of the 70s, children of guest workers, Turkish wives, attacks from the far right
how many guest workers were there in Germany in 1959?
150,000 guest workers
by the 1970s, what percentage of the workforce in Germany did guest workers represent?
10% of the workforce
what was the 1955 treaty between the FRG and Italy about?
it was a treaty to bring in 100,000 migrant workers within one year, emphasising temporary work contracts
how did the 1949 Basic Law affect guest workers in Germany?
it stated that German citizenship was based on German blood, not residence, meaning guest workers had no path to citizenship
when did Germany sign the labour recruitment agreement with Turkey?
30 October 1961
which industries employed the majority of guest workers by 1964?
coal, steel (33%) and construction (25%) industries
what was the initial success of guest worker scheme?
there was a ready supply of would-be migrants and it was possible for some to commute, returning to families at weekends e.g. Yugoslavs from Croatia working in Southern Italy
what did Theodor Blank, the German labour and social affairs minister, announce in 1964?
he invited guest workers to bring their families and assured them access to social welfare and child benefits
what challenges did guest workers face in Germany in terms of public attitudes?
they were accused of taking jobs from ethnic Germans and being a burden on the state
what happened in 1973 that affected guest workers in Germany?
the govt banned further recruitment of foreign workers due to the oil crisis
what financial incentives did the German govt offer in 1975?
states offered financial incentives for guest workers to return home and imposed penalties for illegal employment
what was the crime rate among children of guest workers in 1978?
the crime rate for 14-18 year old children of guest workers was higher than that of the general population
what challenges did children of guest workers face regarding education and employment?
many failed to gain the Abitur, and over 50% were unemployed, with limited access to further education or apprenticeships
what was the impact of Turkish wives of guest workers in the 1980s?
80% of Turkish wives were illiterate and isolated, with many wanting to join literacy programs, but their husbands often opposed them
what type of attacks occurred in the late 1970s to 1980?
at least 6 bombings of Jewish memorials and guest worker accommodations, inc. an attack that killed two Vietnamese refugees in Hamburg
what was the established in 1979 to support guest workers?
a govt office was created to help guest workers
what was the govt’s stance on guest workers by the 1980s?
despite restrictions on immigration, most guest workers had proven their importance to the economy and earned the right to stay
what was the nature of work contracts for guest workers?
it was temporary, but with work opportunities plentiful, many workers renewed their contracts over and over again
