Where do I belong? Shifting Sites of Identity

1. Where do I belong? Shifting Sites of Identity A Talk on the film Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland (Dir. YaseminŞamdereli) by Chandrika Kumar Assistant Professor & Head I/C, Department of German Studies School of Languages, Doon University, Dehradun

2. Contents • Introduction to the Film • Comparison with some of the films shown earlier • Main and Sub-themes in the film • What is a City? • Question of Belongingness • Conclusion “WirriefenArbeitskräfte, es kamen Menschen.“ – Max Frisch

3. The First and the Third Generation of a Turkish German Family

4. Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland: The Film (1/2) • Released in 2011, a Comedy; made by a second generation Turkish immigrant • Portrays the story of the family of 1000001st Guest Worker who came from Turkey to Germany in early 1960s • The film often goes in the flashback and the narrator tells the story of the protagonist • This is not another holocaust film; something which has become the identity of German films outside • It is bilingual; Turkish and German are often used and switched over by the characters • Subtitles may not be there for every sentence being said in this film; one can easily imagine what is being said

5. Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland: The Film (2/2) • The film paints a rosy picture – far from reality. Compare it with the living situation of the lead character in Banlieue 13 • Issues of integration/assimilation of the erstwhile guest workers still there • Fassbinder’s film Angst essenSeele auf (1974)also on the guest workers, but shows a very different aspect • However the present situation of the immigrants is much better • Their social and economic status now is a product of a long struggle

6. Main & Sub-themes in the film • Guest workers (Gastarbeiter) • German economic miracle (Wirtschaftswunder) • Problems of communication / Language barrier • Making and breaking of stereotypes • Identity and problems of identifying oneself – Turk or German? • European integration • Philosophical reflection on life

7. What is a city? • Ancient city states, such as Rome or Athens or even Delhi (inside Delhi there are/were 7 walled cities) were defined by their walls • There has been a lot of discussion on walls; be it walls making cities from outside or walls within cities – Mexico City & Suburbs of Paris. In case of Berlin a wall divided the city into two countries. • Walls do not really give an identity to a city, it’s actually the people who live there, provide an identity to the city in ancient as well as modern times • City is a place which attracts people and gives them an opportunity, livelihood

8. “Where do I belong?” • People who go to a new place and their following generations often struggle while identifying themselves with the place of their origin or the place where they live/work • There is no dearth of examples. This film will give us several examples, but may be some of us are real examples of this case • “If grandpa is a Turk, why does he not live there?” “If I am a Turk, why can’t I speak Turkish?” • We identify ourselves with the language and culture of a place. • Many a times we speak different languages, are comfortable with several cultures; yet we have to choose one to identify ourselves.

9. Conclusion • Cities do not have only opportunities, they also have requirements for which they depend on people from outside. • Max Frisch, the famous Swiss German author said about Guest workers: „Wir riefen Arbeitskräfte, es kamen Menschen.“ • These People come with their language, culture and religion which often come in the way of integration at their place of work • But can we really overlook the roots of people coming into the cities? Can they be called in (when needed) and then asked to leave (when work is over)? Do we not need to think of a hybrid/pluralistic identity which can shift its site from time to time?