Our time on the sidelines is over

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: More than six decades later, people are still talking about the “Gastarbeiter” generation. What does this term mean to you personally?

Serpil Midyatli: In fact it was “Gastarbeiter kid” that I encountered first, and that was back in primary school. But, as a child, I found that puzzling. Because I grew up with Turkish cultural traditions in which guests are treated as something very special. We serve them the best food and bring out our finest crockery. But when I was at school here in Germany, to be completely honest, I didn’t feel as though we were treated like guests. On the contrary, at least in my first year, we were seen more as a nuisance. And the word “integration” was certainly not part of anyone’s vocabulary back then. 

I also find it interesting that, unlike in Turkish, the term “Gastarbeiter” has not evolved in Germany, although we don’t actually have a direct equivalent for this in Turkish. That first generation was usually referred to as Gurbetçi, which roughly translates to “someone who lives away from home”. The term evokes the homesickness and hardships of those early years. Later, Gurbetçi gave way to Almancı, meaning “those who live in Germany” or, literally, “the Germans”. In fact, this is still what people in Türkiye call German Turks today.

In Turkish we have progressed from Gurbetçi to Almancı, but unfortunately, we haven’t made quite as much progress as a society. This reinforces my view that we must recognise the effort that integration work requires, acknowledge how important it is, and make the most of the opportunities it offers. 

Long before people from migrant communities became more visible in parliamentary politics, they were already active on works councils and as union representatives. What can this teach us about managing labour migration today?

The main reason so many people were involved in trade unions and works councils, or served as union representatives back then was, in fact, political participation. No one asked about your background. It was different when it came to political engagement – there was always something standing in your way. Without a German passport, you just couldn’t get any further. The doors to parliament remained firmly closed. Unfortunately, it took many decades for the opportunity to become a German citizen to open new doors. How much further would we have come in Germany if this opportunity had existed earlier? As far as the current approach to labour migration is concerned, this means we need to be more open and think more positively, fostering a culture of welcome rather than shutting ourselves off. We can be glad that people are working in this country and contributing to its prosperity. And we should give them the opportunity to do so – ideally from day one. 

Transnational ways of life have been part of German-Turkish migration history for decades. This includes being able to feel a sense of belonging to more than one country. What does this mean for the current debate on social cohesion? 

It took me a very long time to realise that you can have two homelands – and, more importantly, that you’re allowed to. As children, we were always asked whether we’d rather live in Germany or Turkey, and how we saw ourselves. For our generation, it’s important that we no longer have to choose at all. I see this even more clearly in my children’s generation. It’s not about choosing one country over the other; it’s about diversity: growing up bilingual, knowing two cultures and experiencing both first hand, being able to call two countries home and benefit from them both. I think this is a powerful outcome of being able to define your own identity.  

Fast-forward to 2036. It’s the 75th anniversary of the German-Turkish Recruitment Agreement. What visible changes will show that we are a step closer to an inclusive society everyone can participate in?

I’m very, very optimistic, particularly when it comes to my children’s generation and that of my nieces and nephews.  There’s a new sense of normality. I always put it this way: my generation was often on the sidelines, on the substitutes’ bench, if you like, and we only got to play when we were called upon. But our children have been on the pitch from the start. For them, being part of society is simply a given. Germany is their home. That’s what makes me confident that, despite all the obstacles, exclusion and other problems, things will continue to move in a positive direction.

Our time on the sidelines, waiting to be called upon when we were needed, is over. I’m optimistic that, as a society, we can turn the tide and halt the shift to the right. Our children are already on the pitch, finding their place in society – if they haven’t already done so. By the 75th anniversary of the recruitment agreement, I’m sure the debate will have moved on considerably. I’m keen to hear what the next generation has to say and see how they look back on the past ten years. That’s what makes this process of social change so fascinating.

The interview was conducted by Zoe Klein.

Serpil Midyatli is deputy leader of the SPD. She is the party’s spokesperson for integration and family policy. Born in Kiel in 1975, she is married and has two sons. After many years in local politics, she was elected to the Schleswig-Holstein state parliament in 2009. In 2024, she was re-elected to lead the SPD parliamentary group in the same state parliament. As the leader of the largest opposition group, she is also leader of the opposition. Until 2026, she served as chair of the SPD in the state of Schleswig-Holstein.