Bautzen District has 300,500 residents. It is 90 km from Bolesławiec District (an hour’s drive on the motorway). Poles are the largest group of foreigners. More than 1,200 of them live there. Bautzen District is also home to 530 Syrian citizens. The total number of foreigners in Bautzen District is 7,000. They come from 120 countries.
Where exactly do refugees from Syria live?
Syrian refugees generally have their own accommodation. Most have the same status as all foreigners from third countries (that is, countries outside the European Union). They receive a permit for three years or one year, after which it is extended. This permit entitles them to take up employment and receive social benefits.
If Syrian citizens (or citizens of other countries—for example, Afghanistan, Pakistan or African countries) have the status of people awaiting a decision on their asylum application, they are required to live in refugee centres. With this status, they may take up employment and attend language courses. Syrians generally obtain residence permits quickly (on humanitarian grounds—the war in Syria). However, political asylum is very rarely granted to them. Most Syrians (especially those with families) work or learn a profession, or attend language courses.
Cultural and integration activities
An active Syrian Women’s Association, “Nissaa”, was established in Bautzen. The association takes part in many municipal and district events, such as the Cultural Week held in September. Men also have their own Cultural Association. The “Damaszener” male dance group is an attraction at many festivals. Both associations introduce Germans to Syrian culture and support other Syrians in finding their way in their new country.
Nissaa Syrian Women’s Association
In Bautzen District, the local district administration houses a Foreigners’ Office. Officials help foreigners integrate. Language courses and joint cultural events are organised. The office helps with finding work, translating documents and looking for accommodation. Volunteers also provide assistance.
Joint integration events are organised—cultural, sporting and other events. In recent years, many projects have also been carried out, funded by Germany-wide and Saxony-wide programmes, to promote integration, support migrant associations, assist people helping refugees in everyday life, and so on.
Watch a parade of groups from different parts of the world in Bautzen:
ZeT0WKvLIxYOfficial problems faced by refugees and involving refugees
Women who wear so-called headscarves say that they encounter hostility from local people who are not accustomed to such clothing. The total number of foreigners living in Bautzen District is 7,000 (out of 330,000 residents of the entire district). The foreigners come from 120 countries.
Problems generally concern refugees who cannot obtain refugee status. In such cases, their asylum application is not accepted, and they are summoned to leave Germany voluntarily or await a deportation decision. Unfortunately, there are also people who do not provide their true identity or come from countries unwilling to accept these citizens back. The problem then is that they cannot be expelled from Germany. These people do not have work permits, cannot attend official language courses and cannot leave Germany. There are not many of them, but they are usually the ones who cause the bad reputation of refugees to spread to the whole group—including those who want to integrate or are already integrated, who work or study, whose children attend school and already speak German well.
Crime among refugees
This is rather rare. In the case of Syrians, it is even marginal. The same applies to refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq. Refugees from North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) or Africa (such as Nigeria or Somalia) cause problems more often. Fights and assaults do occur. Most take place among the migrants themselves, for example in a refugee centre. The police are then called. There are also petty shoplifting incidents and travelling without a ticket. However, people who want to integrate, attend language courses or work practically never come into conflict with the law. Another issue is that every case in which a refugee breaks the law is immediately publicised by the media, which affects public attitudes. In Saxony, attacks on refugees and arson at refugee centres have already ceased.
The number of refugees in Bautzen District is falling. Of more than 20 refugee centres, only four will remain next year, accommodating around 900 people in total. Many people who obtain residence permits in the district leave for other parts of Germany. This is a shame, because there is a shortage of young, qualified workers and society is ageing...
We thank the Bautzen District Commissioner for Foreigners’ Affairs Anna Piętak-Malinowska for providing the information needed to prepare this article.