alex
October 9th, 2006, 08:37 AM
Introduction
Here i want to give a quick summary of the foreigner policy of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) or else known as the communist east German state.
Before proceeding i have to remind the readers that the economy of a communist state is dfferent than the one found in a capitalist one. While profiteering is the essence of a capitalist state, in a communist the essence of economy is the total utilization of production. One of the slogans of the time were for example: "No machine should stand still".
History
Ok back on topic now. During the first two decades after the war, the GDR faced a serious bleeding out of their workforce as young east Germans poured into the more prosperous west-Germany en masse. This bleeding out of workforce was only stopped with the erection of the Berlin wall. Nevertheless the damage was done and visible by all.
The GDR goverment enforced than a family-friendly program which led to a remarkable baby boom in east Germany. The consequence of this on the other hand was that many pregnant east German mothers had to leave the working place for a few years (1 or 2). Under these circumstances the GDR goverment searched for foreign workforce in "befreinded" ,mostly socialist, countries.
The policies
The strict guarding of the states borders, the policing at home as well as the state control economy had made illegal immigration into the GDR impossible.
The recruitment of foreign workforce was not made on an individual level as in the capitalist west but as group recruitment with nation contracts. The foreigners were seen only as "guest-workers on time" who should return to their countries as quick as possible after for example the German mother could return to the working place.
The contracts were negotiated between the GDR and the country offering their workforce. If a foreign woker would break any of the clauses of the contract he had to return to his home country immidiately. Here some of the usual clauses of the abovementioned contract:
1. Every worker had to get a full health control and a health pass before he could be send to GDR. Only workers between the ages of 18-40 were allowed to come.
The reason for that was because the GDR didnt want unhealthy foreigner workers who would become a burden to the healthcare system of the GDR.
2.No worker was allowed to bring his family with him.
Workers should not integrate into the GDR society and should leave the country as soon as possible, thats why workers were not allowed to bring their families with them.
3.The number as well as the weight of the packages the foreign workers were allowed to send back home was also heavy regulated.
The idea behind this was that goods and capital being produced in GDR should not massively leave the country.
4.All foreigners were housed in special for them residential accommodations and the living- and appartment space were also explicitly set in these contracts. Also GDR police would control the entrances to the residential accommodations to avoid a misuse of the living space.
This was also very important to the GDR since it wanted to have a thorough control and insight of the lives of the foreign workers.
5.Procreation was not allowed and if for example a foreigner female worker got pregnant she had only two choices: either a) abortion or b) was sent back to her home country.
Whats interesting about this point is that in order to not be called a racist state these clause of the contract was put in by the foreign nation. For example a female Vietnameese worker becoming pregnant would breake Vietnameese law and not GDR law. The GDR police would then simply enforce the Vitnameese law by sending her home to Vietnam.
Of cource the GDR preffered to make contracts with nations like that who would put this special clause to the contract, something which speaks volumes about the foreigner policy of the GDR itself ;)
Humanitarian projects
The capitalist west sends billions and trillions of money to third world nations which in the end only serve to stabize the corrupt regimes of these nations. The humanitarian help only gets distributed among the corrupt elite of these nations and never reaches the poverty driven masses.
The GDR goverment enforced a totally different policy. Poverty could only be beaten in the home countries of the third-worldlers if the needed infrastructure was build. Thats why many Africans for example were allowed to study on GDR colleges and universities so to learn the needed know-how in order to build the needed infrastructure in their home countries. These students too had to live by the contracts and any breaking of which would immidiately lead to the sending back home.
After the end of the studies these students were immidiately and without further delay send home to help build their country up and of course to preach the "ideals of socialism" and spread the good reputation of the GDR.
Summary
Foreigners were seen only as being in the GDR for a short time. Integration into GDR society and interaction with the local popualtion were not wanted. Groups of foreigners were taught the mentality and sensibilities of the east-Germans and recommended to not behave disrespectfully.
Here i want to give a quick summary of the foreigner policy of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) or else known as the communist east German state.
Before proceeding i have to remind the readers that the economy of a communist state is dfferent than the one found in a capitalist one. While profiteering is the essence of a capitalist state, in a communist the essence of economy is the total utilization of production. One of the slogans of the time were for example: "No machine should stand still".
History
Ok back on topic now. During the first two decades after the war, the GDR faced a serious bleeding out of their workforce as young east Germans poured into the more prosperous west-Germany en masse. This bleeding out of workforce was only stopped with the erection of the Berlin wall. Nevertheless the damage was done and visible by all.
The GDR goverment enforced than a family-friendly program which led to a remarkable baby boom in east Germany. The consequence of this on the other hand was that many pregnant east German mothers had to leave the working place for a few years (1 or 2). Under these circumstances the GDR goverment searched for foreign workforce in "befreinded" ,mostly socialist, countries.
The policies
The strict guarding of the states borders, the policing at home as well as the state control economy had made illegal immigration into the GDR impossible.
The recruitment of foreign workforce was not made on an individual level as in the capitalist west but as group recruitment with nation contracts. The foreigners were seen only as "guest-workers on time" who should return to their countries as quick as possible after for example the German mother could return to the working place.
The contracts were negotiated between the GDR and the country offering their workforce. If a foreign woker would break any of the clauses of the contract he had to return to his home country immidiately. Here some of the usual clauses of the abovementioned contract:
1. Every worker had to get a full health control and a health pass before he could be send to GDR. Only workers between the ages of 18-40 were allowed to come.
The reason for that was because the GDR didnt want unhealthy foreigner workers who would become a burden to the healthcare system of the GDR.
2.No worker was allowed to bring his family with him.
Workers should not integrate into the GDR society and should leave the country as soon as possible, thats why workers were not allowed to bring their families with them.
3.The number as well as the weight of the packages the foreign workers were allowed to send back home was also heavy regulated.
The idea behind this was that goods and capital being produced in GDR should not massively leave the country.
4.All foreigners were housed in special for them residential accommodations and the living- and appartment space were also explicitly set in these contracts. Also GDR police would control the entrances to the residential accommodations to avoid a misuse of the living space.
This was also very important to the GDR since it wanted to have a thorough control and insight of the lives of the foreign workers.
5.Procreation was not allowed and if for example a foreigner female worker got pregnant she had only two choices: either a) abortion or b) was sent back to her home country.
Whats interesting about this point is that in order to not be called a racist state these clause of the contract was put in by the foreign nation. For example a female Vietnameese worker becoming pregnant would breake Vietnameese law and not GDR law. The GDR police would then simply enforce the Vitnameese law by sending her home to Vietnam.
Of cource the GDR preffered to make contracts with nations like that who would put this special clause to the contract, something which speaks volumes about the foreigner policy of the GDR itself ;)
Humanitarian projects
The capitalist west sends billions and trillions of money to third world nations which in the end only serve to stabize the corrupt regimes of these nations. The humanitarian help only gets distributed among the corrupt elite of these nations and never reaches the poverty driven masses.
The GDR goverment enforced a totally different policy. Poverty could only be beaten in the home countries of the third-worldlers if the needed infrastructure was build. Thats why many Africans for example were allowed to study on GDR colleges and universities so to learn the needed know-how in order to build the needed infrastructure in their home countries. These students too had to live by the contracts and any breaking of which would immidiately lead to the sending back home.
After the end of the studies these students were immidiately and without further delay send home to help build their country up and of course to preach the "ideals of socialism" and spread the good reputation of the GDR.
Summary
Foreigners were seen only as being in the GDR for a short time. Integration into GDR society and interaction with the local popualtion were not wanted. Groups of foreigners were taught the mentality and sensibilities of the east-Germans and recommended to not behave disrespectfully.