ABSTRACT
The year 2001 marked the fortieth anniversary of Turkish migrants in Germany. A significant number of Turks, some 2.5 million, live in Germany; many are born there and know Turkey only from holiday visits. Integration has been successful for many of the migrants but there is still a sense of foreignness, which exists among the Germans as well as the Turks. This foreignness does exist in reality, and the main reason behind this phenomenon is the Turks' Muslim religious background, which is significantly different in cultural terms when compared with other migrants from southern Europe. Rejection has led the Turks to withdraw themselves and form ‘ethnic niches’. An important means of reducing rejection and promoting integration is achieved by increasing knowledge among Germans and Turks about each other. This essay outlines some of the most important facts and backgrounds of the Turkish migrants in Germany as well as the central current problems and challenges which lie in the concept of integration.
