We engaged in a wonderful discussion with Alexander S. Wolf Foundation AusserGewöhnlich Berlin and our amazing twenty-five guests, Berliners originally coming from four continents at Wahlheymat Talks #2 on 8.11.2023 in Weltwirtschaft restaurant at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW). Our main Takeaways:
MEANING OF WORDS – “Integration is bullshit” – the term integration implies that the newcomer in Berlin society should learn to be like the natives. It is misleading. Newcomers should bring to the table their culture and diverse voice, enriching how we live, work, and see the world in this city. We are in a transformation process, where everyone has a role. Diverse voices tell the complete truth.
LANGUAGE – How to understand each other without a common language? German is the language of Berlin, but it takes time for foreigners to be able to use it. We have to learn to be tolerant in the long process of learning German. Tolerance means translating, using third languages, like English. Judging, prejudice make things worse. Encouraging, learning at the workplace helps. In the end, newcomers will be the best advocates of the German language.
DEUTSCH – Who is Deutsch? There are very different ‘Germanen,’ people speaking the same language with characteristic differences. They are diverse themselves, coming from different traditions, being proud of their origin. Diversity has always been a part of life during German history.
ALTERNATIVE STRUCTURES – Today’s public-political life in Berlin is a very complex system that is incredibly hard to change. The easiest way to go is by creating alternative smaller independent systems. They can replace the existing ones. Challenging the status quo seems to be the best chance to improve the system.
LONELINESS – Feeling lonely seems to be a common pattern in Berlin. Citizens, entrepreneurs, even politicians feel left alone; there is a jungle of committees (Beirate), civic organizations, all with the best intention, creating a situation that is very hard to oversee. Listening – understanding – co-creating, this is the magic cycle; let’s turn it into everyday practice.
Thanks for the Fotos, Kidus Assefa , Fanni Gabor.
WahlheYmatPost — Understand How To Berlin
Weekly guide for Berlin’s international community
Quick stories, local events, and ways to take part, right in your inbox — made with Berliner Morgenpost.
Your data matters to us — see our privacy policy.
This is a coooperation with Berliner Morgenpost. You can subscribe to their newsletters here.
Top 5 Takeaways from Wahlheymat Talks
More From WahlheYmatPost
-
How Audrey Tang Is Rebooting Democracy — and What Berlin Can Learn from Taiwan
“The engine behind reshaping democracy has been young people and immigrants,” Audrey Tang – Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador and first Digital Minister – told me. I was fortunate enough to meet Audrey at the Berlin Freedom Conference on 10 November. To tell you the truth: Audrey was the main reason I went. Ever since I read…
-
From Glitter to Growth: How Taylor Coburn Found Her Shine in Berlin
I had the pleasure of sitting down with an immigrant change-maker who encourages fellow immigrants from all walks of life to build their lives here in Berlin, instead of just scraping by and letting social norms, visas, or rules rob them of their ability to thrive. Taylor Coburn is involved in many projects around the…
-
The Power of Ehrenamt: Finding Connection Through Volunteering in Berlin
The news is grim these days. Everywhere we look things are going off the rails. The cost of living, and the political maneuverings… everything seems like too much, too soon, and too fast. And it’s easy to give in to the atomization of 21st century life; we are millions of people living alone. Alone in…
-
Six Pictures from the Future — A Glimpse into Tomorrow’s Berlin
For a campaign, you need many elements — but everything starts with funding. That’s why we first want to give enormous thanks to the supporters of WahlheYmatPost, to everyone who believes in what we do and why we do it: the Welcome Alliance Fund by ProjectTogether and the Bundesministerium des Inneren. And a heartfelt thank-you…
-
Giving Voice to Eastern European Migrants: The Polnischer Sozialrat’s Work for Equality
WHP: Can you briefly introduce your organization? What is its main task in Berlin? Dr. Kamila Schöll-Mazurek: The Polnischer Sozialrat (Polish Social Council – PSR) is one of the oldest Polish migrant organizations in Germany. Since our founding in 1982, we have advocated for the social participation and equal rights of Polish people in Berlin.…
-
Welcome to the Club: How Vereine Can Turn Berlin from a City of Strangers into a Home
In 2000 Robert D. Putnam published a book, “Bowling Alone”, in which he argued that Americans were becoming increasingly isolated and removed from community and social capital. He took the institution of the Bowling League as his prime example. I remember when the book came out – though, admittedly, I never got around to reading…
-
“Civil Courage Begins in Everyday Life – and Ends Where We Look Away” – Diana Henniges on 12 Years of Moabit hilft
WHP: Can you briefly introduce your organization? What is its main mission in Berlin? Diana Henniges: Moabit hilft e.V. is an independent, civil society association that emerged in 2013 from a spontaneous neighborhood initiative. We support people in urgent need – whether they are refugees, have a migration background, or need help for entirely different…
-
“Berlin Modern” — Is This the Modern Berlin?
Last weekend, I had the chance to see inside Berlin’s newest museum: Berlin Modern.The visit made me think about how we imagine the future Berlin. If you’ve walked near the Kulturforum, between the Neue Nationalgalerie and the Philharmonie, you’ve surely noticed that enormous construction site. That is where Berlin Modern is rising — a new…
-
Bürgerbeteiligung: Participation or Paperwork?
Berlin invites its citizens to participate — but only after the decisions are made. A visit to the Bürgerbeteiligungsbüro: where good intentions meet German bureaucracy. I was so happy when I first discovered the Bürgerbeteiligungsbüro. Yes! Finally, a place for participation! It took me quite some time, though, to understand what this institution is actually…
-
“Darth Vader speaks Amtssprache”: The Chilling Poetry of German Bureaucracy
Every bureaucracy has its language; one might even go further to say that language is bureaucracy’s main tool. The characteristics of bureaucratic speech are well known: thick, complicated sentences, dripping with precision and impersonality. It is intentionally difficult to understand, requiring a certain amount of skill and training in its dark art. Most people will…
-
The Kiez: Where Berlin Becomes Personal
I’ve often said that in France every region has its dish, its wine, and its cheese; in Germany, every region has its dish, beer, sausage…and language. If we learned German before coming here, we learned “High German” (Hochdeutsch) – because it’s spoken in the high country… not because it’s lofty, or something – and then…
-
From Budapest to Berlin: “The biggest change for me was this strong sense of locality”
WHP: When did you move to Berlin, and what brought you here? Balázs Dénes: I moved to Berlin with my family in 2017 for professional reasons, as, together with others, I established a non-profit organization here. I am still happy with that decision from 10 years ago, and it brought us to where we are…
-
What does the Bezirksamt actually do, and why should you care?
Most Berliners know the Bezirksamt as the place where they wait weeks for a Bürgeramt appointment. But behind the paperwork lies one of the most important layers of democracy in the city — the level of government that shapes daily life in every neighborhood. Berlin often feels like two cities at once: a capital where…
-
Neustart Berlin: New Ideas for a City at a Standstill
Berlin is a city in constant transformation — between East and West, the inner city and the outer districts, between long-time residents and those who have chosen it as a new home. With its interplay of creative industries, research institutions, and a steady influx of newcomers, the city has enormous potential. At the same time,…
-
“Without Migrants, Berlin Wouldn’t Be Berlin” – Berlin Polyphon on Visibility, Resistance, and Building a Society for All
Berlin Polyphon, an alliance of migrant organizations founded in 2024, is challenging anti-migration narratives and pushing for a more inclusive Berlin. Their mission: to make migrant voices heard in politics, media, and everyday life. 5 questions, 5 answers – an interview with David Häußer, Coordinator of Public Relations at Berlin Polyphon. WHP: Can you briefly…
WahlheYmat Writes Newsletter
Our association’s own updates, including news about upcoming events, new initiatives, organizational news, and project developments from WahlheYmat e.V.
Address
Am Hamburger Bahnhof 3
10557 Berlin
Germany
hey@wahlheymat.de