Problems of Cultural Assimilation Arising from Population Transfers in Western Germany.

The article discusses the problems of cultural assimilation of roughly eight million immigrants of German cultural background in Western Germany. The problem started because of an agreement for transferring Germans from Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria. The former nationals of the German Reich mainly from east of the Oder-Neisse line, ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia and the 'Swabians' from south-east Europe--represent about 95% of the German refugee population in Western Germany. In spite of the diversity of their cultural and social background, their occupational structure and their historical traditions, in their relationships with the indigenous population they are one solid group. A feeling of solidarity between immigrants belonging to different nations were seen in the refugee camps. The causes for this were their destitution, the unfavorable housing conditions, less employment opportunities and unwelcoming behavior by the natives. The refugee feels that he is treated by the new community as a second class citizen and the hope to return to their homeland makes him resist the cultural assimilation in the new place.