Germany hates Germans

„Are you nervous?“

„No…only anry!“

„Because of this stupid man behind his armored glass asking all sorts of stupid question that makes our life so difficult?” looked Kojo around the sleepy fellow Ghanaians waiting in North Ridge in Accra Central at the German Embassy for their visa to be processed. Everyone was patiently awaiting his faith to get permission to leave to country. The atmosphere was quite, yet tense.

Kwame took out his water bottle as even at this early hour the heat was unbearable remembering times back: “A very good German friend of mine once told me his story…shocking. It is not only us these people here treat us unfairly, but also people of their own. He had lived in Ghana for many, many years. The time had come for his wife to be operated and to solve some legal family matters. He wanted to be back in Germany for a certain limited time…of course with his wife. Before she had received her Visa for Germany, it was a process of a whole year. I do understand that we Ghanaians must know German language at its basic level and have to learn this before we can go…but the wife of a German? Why this nonsense? She should have left the country and in Germany attended an Integration course…otherwise it makes her just like us…so what is the privilege of a German citizenship than?”

Kojo laughed trying not to disturb the other people in their focused mind by responding:” But you know, laws and regulations are done by Public Servants only, not by citizens, and their intention is only how best they can make their own work easier…not what is best for the citizen…but you are old enough my friend to understand this simple truth.”

“You are right…,” was Kwame observing how a German man, a simple character, tried to explain himself to the Receptionist to take his newly wedded Ghanaian wife back to Germany, “when you are not strong and know how things are working here…you are lost…poor man.”

“Going to any Embassy means you must have a fighting spirit…especially here in Africa,” tried to comfort Kojo his friend.

“Anyway, the German friend had tried for long from Ghana to rent a flat in Germany but failed as all Landlords insisted to see the new tenant in person face to face, something very difficult in those days as through the Migration influx in 2015 no matter the rent, opportunities were not available. In the end a friend took them in to stay and look for their own apartment. But the Landlord of the friend was not able to give them the address as a residence address needed to extend the visa of his wife, get a health insurance, find a job, and open a bank account and so on. When the neighbours complaint about the guest from Africa, the were asked by their friend to look for their own place to sleep, very difficult in those days as so many people applied for an apartment no matter the rent. Meanwhile the visa had expired and his wife was illegal in Germany. Under pressure they got the advice to declare themselves officially homeless ending up in a Refugee Camp, a container village. Wonder oh wonder, this situation gave them an official registration address, his wife´s Residence Permit got extended, she found a job immediately, opened a bank account, got access to an integration course, had a health insurance cover and over time found an apartment to enjoy. All their problems got solved…but were caused….”

“Are Germans sick in the head?” asked Kojo with anger in his eyes.

“No, Germans are ignorant towards their own people. While they had established a welcome culture and infrastructure for foreigners, to welcome back their own people that had stayed abroad for so many years while laws and the system in their absence have changed, does not exist. They assume that a German can and has to fight for himself as Officials that have never experienced life abroad and the coming back process, are not listening to such Germans. This friend had suggested on several occasions to make it possible for these Germans to rent from outside Germany a Post Office Box for six months as an official address to receive letters while looking for their own flat giving them the needed space to work on their integration back into their society. But nobody cares. Foreigners get a special Pilot to guide them around daily life; these Germans have nowhere to turn to.”

“Shameful…so shameful…that is how German is treating its own citizen? I am shocked!”

Kwame continued lecturing his friend: “When a German man marries a foreign lady, both have to go through a disgraceful process outlined by Germany. While asking anyone about the birthdates of siblings, professions of the other partner to pick out fake marriages, a process that does not work as professionals are well prepared for the right answers and only a tip off can expose fake marriages, such Germans and their spouses must get naked. It is assumed by the German Authorities any such marriage is fake and the married couple has to prove the opposite….”

“That is nonsense…such question can never find out the truth!” interfered Kojo seeing that he would be called in next.

“Not only that,” made Kwame crystal clear, “it is also violating the German constitution that speaks of equal rights and treatments…which in this case is so obvious…but nobody cares…the old story…and `Hauptmann von Köpenick` principle is so much alive in Germany, no lesson learnt. Globalization, my friend is saying, makes more people leave the country for years to come, so more and more Germans in their life will be affected by this shameful situation…for which I can only say, he said, Germany hates Germans…a sad truth!”

Kojo got up as it was his time to leave: “I would not call it like that as any society makes mistakes and can correct it…if they truly want!”