The definition of “immigration” is: the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country (1). Immigration is a vital component to the culture and society of many countries. With immigration comes new ideas and perspectives. Countries like the United States are primarily composed of many different types of races, religions, and culture. America would not be what it is today if it was not for all the different types of groups that immigrated here. Just like the United States, major cities around the world such as Berlin, are home to a vast variety of immigrants. The immigration in Cleveland Ohio is similar in some ways to the immigration in Berlin Germany.
Various groups were starting to immigrate to Cleveland in the nineteenth century, but the most prevalent group was the Germans. Many Germans were trying to escape economic failure and oppression of religion and politics (2). The influx of German immigrants continued throughout the nineteenth century and then it slowed down at the start of the twentieth century. The immigrants brought with them their skills in craftsmenship and agriculture. Skilled craftsmen were primarily Germans who worked as tailors, jewelers, cabinetmakers, and other professions (2). They also introduced soil conservation methods that could rejuvenate lands that were depleted of soil. The Germans would continue to contribute in other fields such as science and music.
Berlin has a wide variety of different cultures that compose their civilian population. One group that dates back to the sixteenth century is the Turks. The Turkish people started to come in contact with Germany when they were attempting to expand the Ottoman Empire. They would continue to enter Germany later on as soldiers for the new Prussian army (3). After the Berlin Wall was erected, many Turks were in West Germany because of the Gastarbeiter (guest worker) agreement that allowed migrants entrance into the country for labor. Many Turks just planned to make enough money in order to return back home and start a better life but, this changed when Turks were allowed to start bringing their families into Germany (3). When the Berlin Wall finally came down in 1989 and the reunification process began, discrimination against the Turkish population began to increase. Germany still has many citizens that are Turkish because many second-generation Turks have chosen to becom German citizens (3).
Despite geographical distance between Cleveland and Berlin, there are similarities and differences between immigration. The Germans in Cleveland fled their country becasue of certain social and political problems while the Turks in Berlin came into Germany in order to find work. Another difference is that the Germans were not prersecuted later on like the Turks were after the fall of the Berlin Wall. A major similarity between the two groups is that they both were hardworkers and help contributed to a diverse community. Another similarity is that both groups immigrated to different countries with the hopes of starting a new and better life.
No matter what country we are from or where we reside in, we should be understanding of different culturals, religions, and races that we may encounter. Immigration has impated the whole world because different groups of people contribute their own perspectives to things we encounter in every day life.
1.) dictionary.com
2.) ech.case.edu
3) wikipedia.org