The United States, a "classical" country of immigration, is presently reforming her immigration policies. Although the U.S. has 270 million residents and many children, President George W. Bush called for more immigration. This must be surprising to the German press, particularly to the news magazine Der Spiegel which has ridiculed the W. Bush Administration repeatedly. In the midst of German political debates on a new immigration law, Germans should look to the other side of the Atlantic: The U.S. President, talking at Ellis Island, wants more immigrants to enter the multiethnic society of the United States.

Joined by Governor Pataki, Mayor Giuliani and Senator Hillary Clinton, the President addressed immigrants taking the oath of citizenship. "We welcome not only immigrants themselves, but the many gifts they bring and the values they live by," he said. Flanked by the Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Mel Martinez, George W. Bush proclaimed: "Immigration is not a problem to be solved. It is a sign of a confident and successful nation. Citizenship is not limited by birth or background. America is a welcoming society... New arrivals should be greeted not with suspicion and resentment, but with openness and courtesy."

George W. Bush called for a timely and amiable review of applications for permanent residence. He urged the U.S. Congress to act swiftly on 245-I reform: "For those seeking entry, the process is often a prolonged ordeal full of complexities and burdens. I am committed to changing this with INS reforms that treat every immigrant with respect and fairness.’"

Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer applauded: Immigration has become a bipartisan issue in America.

Washington is concerned about approximately 15 million illegal aliens. The President has suggested an amnesty for three million illegal Mexicans. He even proposed an amnesty for all illegal aliens in America. This, many politicians and officials thought, would go too far.

The debate has concentrated on "normalizing" and "regulating" the status of immigrants holding steady jobs. Critics of the amnesty proposal fear the creation of a gigantic "under class" without income. Bush is now working on a program for granting illegal aliens a "guest worker" status leading gradually to citizenship.

The Bush amnesty initiative for all illegal aliens turned out to be an experiment; he wanted to test the public reaction. Nevertheless, immigration is being discussed and redefined in the U.S. today. Competing for computer experts world-wide, the U.S. welcomes foreign experts with celebrations, national anthem and the American flag. They become naturalized U.S. citizens with all professional opportunities.

No American in his right mind would understand that, in Germany, Turks have worked and paid taxes for 30 years without legal and social recognition. The ugly call "Keep Germany green, keep aliens out!" is not heard in the U.S. The race for computer experts, as an example for an initiative to attract immigrants, may well be lost by Germany.

Ethnic diversity has been an important word in America. The U.S. is the prototype of a land of immigrants. Chicago is a good example of multiethnicity, integration and assimilation of immigrants in the U.S.

About 80 ethnic groups live in Chicago. The Jewish section is growing, and so are the Mexican, Latin American and Asian neighborhoods. The "WASPS" form the majority, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, "mainstream" Americans, immigrants from England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Holland, Scandinavia or Eastern Europe. These Americans have been socialized in American schools for generations. Teaching English, American history and civic education, schools have been the catalyst for the social and cultural integration of immigrants.

A tour of Chicago leads from one ethnic neighborhood to another. There are "barrios," a "Little Italy," a "Greek Town," "China Town", and a large "black community." Borders between neighborhoods are often abrupt. Elegant streets in the "Gold Coast" may lead into a ghetto.

"Ethnic neighborhoods" are small communities with individual cultural identities, a "main street" with an ethnic culture. The neighborhoods have ethnic restaurants, shops, museums, festivals, parades, bookstores and churches, mosques or synagogues. Some 20 languages are spoken in Chicago.

Devon Avenue is the most multiethnic street in Chicago. Pakistani, Iranians, Russians and Jews live next to Syrians, Iraqis, Koreans, Mexicans and Chinese. Devon Avenue is no "melting pot." but a place for the coexistence of people with very distinct cultures, religions and languages.

About 40 percent of Chicagoans are black. Many live in the South Side, which is more like a ghetto than a homely neighborhood. Here social problems of the American inner city are unsolved: bad jobs, high unemployment, juvenile delinquency, drug addiction, bad schools – it is the vicious circle of the ghetto. The word "race" sounds particularly aggressive in the South Side or the West Side of Chicago.

Nevertheless, the black community of Chicago has reasons to be proud: More and more blacks are moving up, entering the ranks of the middle and upper middle class. Their success stories are published in Ebony, a black magazine produced in Chicago. Ebony enjoys publishing portraits of black individuals and families escaping the calamities of poverty and crime in the ghetto. And the black community is proud of black festivals and events such as the "Chicago Blues Festival," the "Chicago Gospel Festival, and the "Chicago Jazz Festival."

Despite a Chicago history of race riots in the 20^th century, Mayor Richard M. Daley has tried to alleviate the problems of the ghetto. Race and class are important issues in the Chicago local political environment, and city hall has worked hard to achieve a constructive balance between ethnic interests in the "Windy City."

Polish Chicago has the largest ethnic Polish population outside of Warsaw.. Polish immigrants have created an "internal Polonia" with Polish language, churches, schools, professional organizations, credit unions and cultural clubs. There are some 600,000 Polish-Americans in the Polish neighborhood along Avondale and North Milwaukee Avenue.

The German neighborhood is located along Lincoln Avenue with German restaurants, shops, delicatessen and the German-written newspaper Amerika-Woche. Goethe Street and Schiller Street survived the turbulence of the First World War, when German-American clubs were closed and German immigrants "Americanized" their names. The Goethe-Institut on Michigan Avenue actively promotes German culture in line with the tradition of the Chicago Germans

Italians have gladly gone to Chicago. "Little Italy" is located on Taylor Street with popular Italian restaurants. Italian-Americans are defined by family, church and religion. Their integration into mainstream America has been comparatively smooth.

Greek immigrants have come with a strong sense of self-reliance. Chicago Greeks are small businessmen, traders and restaurant owners. Some 250,000 Greeks live along Halsted Street. An annual "Greek-American Parade" celebrates Greek independence from Turkey and proclaims solidarity with the Greeks on Cyprus.

Some 260,000 Jews have settled in Chicago. The "Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago" supports Jewish groups working for Jewish education, culture, religion and community. There are 50 orthodox, 35 conservative and 25 reformed Jewish communities. Chicago has the third largest Jewish population in the U.S. behind New York and Florida.

The Asian-American population of Chicago is growing. There are 50,000 Chinese and 20,000 Japanese with a good record of integration in mainstream America. Their values – such as honor, family ties and respect of education – have added to their American success story.

By far the fastest growing ethnic minority comes from Latin America. Every fourth Chicagoan is an "Hispanic" or a "Latino." The Spanish-speaking minority is socially frail but has made progress in recent years. The "Latin neighborhoods" in Pilsen or the "Little Village" are popular. Chicago enjoys the annual "Festival de Musica Latina" and the street festival "Viva Mexico!"

Chicago has many ethnic minorities including Scandinavians, Latvians, Russians, Ukrainians, Hungarians, Czechs, Arabs, Indians and Native-Americans from 40 different Indian tribes.

The multiethnic society of Chicago has only partially grown into a homogeneous population. Despite many problems, conflicts and tensions, Chicago is an example for the peaceful coexistence and cooperation between people with diverse ethnic backgrounds. Assimilation, integration and cultural pluralism are simultaneously at work. The melting pot is churning, but it cannot standardize the people of Chicago. Differences of race, religion, language, culture, national and ethnic identities are often very rigid.

Nevertheless, newcomers living in a country of immigrants do not feel like "aliens" or "foreigners." Chicagoans have few anxieties about "foreign" cultures and influences. There is an American "common man" in Chicago. He or she may have Polish, German or Russian ancestors and may still speak some Polish or German; but American schools and colleges have integrated the "common man" into mainstream American society. This American has an American identity which is not ethnic or "foreign". Anybody visiting a baseball game in Chicago will observe American fans, not Albanians, Russians or Turks. Despite their diverse ethnic origins, the people of Chicago have a common American national identity.

The experiment of the multiethnic society in Chicago can only succeed on the basis of compromise, tolerance and a philosophical attitude. Ethnic peace and cooperation is the product of hard work and compromise. Some racial, ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic barriers are too strong, others have been successfully overcome. Ethnic integration and peace is the result of the patient management of many conflicts, some of which have been painful in the past.

The multiethnic society of Chicago has both succeeded and failed. It has, nevertheless, produced the integration of Americans into mainstream America with all the pros and cons of the melting pot at work. What has been a social, cultural, ethnic and linguistic phenomenon for generations in the U.S. is a new challenge to the German society today.

Germany and America have different political, ethnic, cultural and national histories; the task of integrating immigrants has increasingly confronted both countries with similar challenges, problems and solutions. As to the integration of immigrants, the Atlantic has become smaller in recent decades. This is an issue concerning Americans and many Europeans alike.

The president of Alarco Holding, one of the largest Turkish corporations, was found stabbed to death on a graveyard in Istanbul on August 25. Uzeyir Garih was 72 years old; he was one of the most important business leaders and a prominent member of the Jewish community. He had worked for better relations between Turkey and Israel and advocated Turkish EU membership.

The murder occurred when Garih had left his home to meet with deputy prime minister Nikolay Vassilev. There may be a political motive. The murder may have been committed by several people including women.

Garih had visited the grave of an Islamic scholar who was a friend of his father’s. Garih himself had often called for a dialogue between the religions. Not everybody in Turkey appreciated his religious tolerance.

Istanbul Police arrested a Turkish soldier, Yener Yermez, with a severe criminal record. The Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad arrived in Istanbul in connection with the Garih murder case.

By Cüneyt Ayral

I shall show you a snapshot

of a red window where

the wind is howling today, the

house built by a "converted" master

after the Seljuks had gone.

Before this building was raised

a sailor from Genoa

stood longing for his love in the

port of Venice, yearning for his

broad-breasted, wide-hipped lover.

He sat on the floor crying for her.

The window, seen from below,

looked like a tear.

I keep thinking of you

in the side streets of Galata,

where the house with the red window

was torn down.

The last regal mansions of

Ziverbey are vanishing slowly.

I once saw women

behind closed harem windows

looking at me with

eyes full of wonder and aimless depth.

Was it you I saw?

Children without railroad tickets were

hanging from crowded trains like grapes.

Women from villages drifted

through tunnels in gray old train stations.

When I passed this house

something caught my eye,

Turks in Germany like to watch the popular private TV channel RTL. When reading German newspapers, they prefer the mass tabloid "Bild". Traditional Turkish papers from home are losing ground. These are results of a study about media usage and social integration of Turks in Germany. The study polled 1800 readers and viewers of Turkish origin in Germany. The chief result: Turks are gradually adopting media habits shared by mainstream German media consumers.

RTL is number one in Germany. 69 per cent of Turks watch TV news on "Kanal D" and TRT broadcast from Turkey by satellite. They enjoy the additional information from Turkey not available on German evening news. One third of Turks in Germany only watch German news programs, half of the German-Turkish population watches programs in both languages.

The study was commissioned by the German Press and Information Office. The data include information on living conditions, language skills, social orientation and political attitudes of Turks in Germany. The study concludes that "more Turks living in Germany are professionally and socially firmer integrated than was assumed until now."

The study discovers that Turks mainly trust schools (61 percent) and hospitals (76 percent), much less political parties (only 15 percent) and unions (22 percent). 90 percent watch television. Only half of the Turkish population listens to radio or reads a newspaper. Germany’s public broadcasting stations rank far behind private TV channels.

The German Intelligence Agency BND estimates that each day more than 1,000 persons illegally cross the external borders of the European Union. World-wide annual international migration is estimated at 35 to 50 million people. Only a fraction of expatriates reach the comfortable regions of North America, Western Europe or East Asia. According to the BND, migration will increasingly be caused by economic and political developments in the Middle East, the former Soviet Union and in Asian countries such as Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Peoples Republic of China.

Freedom of Thought 2001 is a book which may throw 65 editors behind bars for eight years. According to the Turkish State Attorney Ayvaz, the book "promotes separatist propaganda and supports the terrorist organization PKK." The editors, mostly writers, journalists and politicians, are supported by 77, 663 Turks signing their names in favor of freedom of thought. The book publishes texts which had caused the justice system to file criminal charges. Why has, so far, no state attorney attempted to outlaw the Turkish people?

Michel Friedman, Vice President of the Jewish Council in Germany, was insulted by Hermann Josef Reichertz, a former chief of the rightist party "The Republicans". Using the style of the Nazi journal Der Stürmer, Reichertz called Friedman a "Gypsy Jew." Quoting "freedom of speech," a Bavarian court exculpated the racist insult. Friedman has appealed. Both Friedman and Paul Spiegel, the President of the Jewish Council, called the court ruling a "breakdown of the German justice system." The Bavarian Interior Minister Beckstein strongly criticized Reichertz’ insult as "vicious hate talk."

There are 13 candidates for membership in the European Union. According to the European Office of Statistics, economic growth in these countries has averaged five percent in 2000, surpassing average growth of EU members by two percent. The 13 candidates produced a total of 624 Euros. Turkey achieved the highest growth rate with 7.2 percent followed by Latvia, Estonia and Bulgaria. Rumania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic trail the list.

There were 435 cases of torture in Turkey during the first half of 2001. Only 263 cases were recorded during the same period last year. These figures were quoted by Hüsnü Öndül, chairman of the Turkish human rights organization IHD in Ankara. 1519 organizations and individuals were indicted under laws restricting the freedom of speech. Turks publicly criticizing human rights violations may, in turn, risk persecution.

The Turkish Government recently banned Turkish radio stations from directly broadcasting foreign FM programs such as BBC news or "Deutsche Welle" programs. According to Turkish law, foreign broadcasting stations are not allowed to transmit foreign programs in Turkey. The chairman of the Turkish TV and Radio Authority, Nuri Kayis, opposes the ban of foreign broadcasts. Kayis insists that Turkey is obliged to grant freedom of international broadcasting. He has taken legal action against the ban.

The Turkish National Assembly will reconvene on September 17. It will review 37 constitutional amendments in 45 days. The amendments are written to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria for Turkish membership in the European Union. "We shall demonstrate to the world that we are a European country and not part of the Third World," writes the columnist Yilmaz Oztuna. He fears that political bickering may hamper legislative progress and prevent the Assembly from passing significant reforms. We share his concerns.

Nobody has been executed in Turkey since 1984. The death penalty, nevertheless, is a solid part of the Turkish constitution. A commission has now proposed abolishing the death penalty and converting it into lifelong imprisonment. Justice Minister Hikmet Samet Türk concedes that the proposal corresponds to modern legislation. Other suggestions include penalties for genocide and crimes against humanity. Law enforcement officers guilty of applying torture on duty should be punished with five to ten years imprisonment.

The Islamic politician Recep Tayip Erdogan is popular in Turkey. The chairman of the new Reformist Party is supported by almost 30 percent of the Turkish electorate. The former mayor of Istanbul may successfully unite Islamic groups across the country. Erdogan introduced a light bulb as the party symbol for an "enlightenment" of Turkish politics. He advocates freedom of speech and the abolishment of torture. The Turkish Government and the military feel threatened by him fearing he may be a wolf in disguise. The Government strictly observes the separation of state and religion and opposes unconstitutional political intentions. Erdogan was jailed in 1999 for publicly reciting a poem with an allegedly unconstitutional content. Erdogan insists he is in favor of democracy, a pro-Western position and Turkish EU membership.

Editors:         Hans Kirchmann (DTS Board Member)

English version: Friederich Mielke, Ph.D

Contact:        Deutsch-Türkische Stiftung

                   Harburger Ring 26

                   21073 Hamburg, Germany

                   Fon:040/32 02 71-3

                   Fax:040/32 02 71-50