Almanya: Welcome to Germany

This is my grandfather and me, this is our first photo.

And here we are today, many years later with the whole family.

That's me on the left, and my granddad on the right.

This is our last photo together.

Shortly after this photograph was taken, everything changed.

I often think about what my life would have been like

had I been born in Turkey, not Germany.

I owe the fact that I am ‘made in Germany’ to the German Economic Miracle.

Since the mid 1950′s, there’d been a rise in foreign labour

mostly from Southern Europe

German doctors are here examining people's fitness for work.

The procedure almost looked like a livestock auction.

Only for healthy ones are allowed to go to Germany.

As you know, there is a labor scarcity

We no longer have enough Spanish and Italian workers.

We decided to take on Turkish workers

On September 10th 1964, a foreign worker made history.

On this day Germany broke a historical record for the number of immigrants.

One of these men was destined for glory.

Please, you first. -No, please.

Congratulations, you are the one-millionth guest worker in Germany! Welcome!

Unfortunately, only one.

The millionth guest worker- Armando Rodriguez - took that honour

There was a ceremony for him and a gift – a motorcycle with two seats.

Neither he nor the other workers understood yet that they had become

an indispensable element for the welfare of Germany.

Although Armando Rodriguez was

the millionth guest worker,

I want to tell you the story of the millionth-and-one.

A man named Huseyin Yilmaz, my grandfather.

And so my grandfather entered his hopeful future.

Hey, Huseyin, wait a minute!

45 YEARS LATER

I've changed my mind.

I don't want a German passport.

Have you lost your mind?

Why did we apply for naturalization?

This wasn't my idea anyway.

My god, give me strength.

Why must I discuss everything with you?

We will go there tomorrow and pick up our German passports!

While my grandfather and grandmother were thinking they had problems, I stood before a real one.

No, it can't be! I take birth control every day!

Goddamn it, what did you do to me?

What did I do? -What kind of freak sperm to you have?!

We all had problems. Even my little cousin, Cenk.

Cenk, what about you? Where shall we put your flag?

Germany?

Of course, that’s true, but what is the name of that beautiful country where your father comes from?

Uhm… Anatolia.

It's called Italy.

No. Cenk is right, it's Anatolia... and it´s the eastern part of Turkey.

Sorry, but this is a European map...

…it ends by Istanbul.

How about we put your flag here, okay?

Engin, where are you from?

I'm from Istanbul.

You are from Istanbul, wonderful!

Okay, we've placed everyone.

What should I wear tomorrow? This?

Or this?

Wife, are you crazy? Both are the same. Almighty!

How can you be so calm? Are you not excited?

No!

Almighty, give me strength.

Almighty, don't pay attention her. Give me the strength!

Or would you prefer this?

So...

Mr. and Mrs. Yilmaz...

The only thing missing is the fourth additional article on page 118…

As German citizens, your duty is to remember...

…that the German culture is the primary culture. Do you accept this?

Very good. As Germans, you will become members of a rifle club.

You will eat pork twice a week.

You will watch the TV series "Crime Scene" every Sunday and you will go to Mallorca every second summer.

Do you accept these obligations?

But... -Of course.

We must do these things properly.

Congratulations.

You are now German citizens.

Hüseyin, no need to panic!

We are still Turkish.

It's beautiful.

Get up, get dressed. We have to go.

Today, we will be German citizens.

Come on, Let's play football! Turks against the Germans!

Come on!

You can have him. He is also German.

He sure looks like one.

He doesn't even speak Turkish. -He doesn't know anything.

Fight!

Hi, Mom.

I am going over to your grandparents'. -Okay.

Hi, Mom.

Your hair looks great!

What? -It's super.

Cenk, don't forget the cake. -OK, I'm coming.

Let's set the table.

Oh, Cenk! You're here! What did you do at schoo...

What happened to your eye? -Nothing! This is for you!

Cenk, what did you do to your eye? -Nothing.

My son, what happened to your eye?

NOTHING!!!!

A Turkish boy in class told him he's not a real Turk.

What?

Ali! You will go to school tomorrow...

...and show everybody that we are real Turks!

Dad!

My grandson not a real Turk! Ridiculous!

Don't touch!

Very tasty.

And how are you? -Good.

Mom, why do you always make it so spicy?

Then just eat the rice.

That's also too spicy. It will pierce my stomach. -Ali!

This is Muhammed. Open the door.

Hi, Hi son...

No,it's too spicy!

Hi Muhammed.

Son, why are you so late? -I missed the bus, Mom.

What happened to your eye? -Nothing.

Nothing.

Everyone!

I have a surprise. -We are Germans now!

What? -German?

Oh no! -Of course!

No! No, that's not the surprise

The surprise is:

I bought a house

...in Turkey, in our village.

In our homeland.

Why on earth? You want to move back there?

Look. This is our homeland.

Beautiful, isn't it? -Huh?

We are from there?

So, I want to go Turkey for our next holiday

together.

The house is old and needs to be renovated.

It would be very good, if all of you would help.

We’ve already made other plans for the holidays, we can't go.

Muhammad was laid off from work, he can go.

I can drive down to save you the flights.

Veli! -What? It's true?

I am paying all the flight tickets!

Super! -Oh, no.

That's enough! Be quiet, damnit!

What have I ever asked of you, as your father?

You just sit around and say blablabla... Shame on you!

We are a family.

We are a Turkish family!

What are we then? German or Turks?

German. -Turks.

Your grandmother and grandfather have a German passport now.

It's just a piece of paper!

We are still Turkish. You too!

Cenk, people can be Turkish and German. Just like you.

No you can’t! You must play for one team: German or Turkish!

If grandfather and grandmother are Turkish, why are they here?

Because...

Because the Germans called them. -How?

Yes. Not just them, but many Turks, Yugoslavs and also Italians.

They were all called here. -Really?

Dear citizens of the world!

The Federal Republic of Germany calls out to you!

Our country is looking for labor.

If you are young, strong, and are a hard worker...

Please contact the nearest public office immediately.

And then what happened?

You want to listen to the whole story?

It all started in a small village in south-eastern Turkey. Look, here.

Nearby grandfather's new house.

A very pretty village in a small valley.

The people there lived a simple, peaceful life.

They sowed their fields and tended their animals.

Life went it's usual quiet course

Except for a young man, let's call him Grandfather,

whose life had become somewhat less quiet

because had his eyes on the daughter of the head of the village.

Not the fat one! The one in the middle! The pretty one.

That was grandmother.

No, our girl is not right for you.

Go and find yourself another girl.

They don't know German?

Hmm. Okay.

In German, that would mean:

No!

But Hüseyin didn't accept the father's rejection

Instead, he abducted her.

At that time was enough for a single man touch an unmarried woman...

…for her to be dishonoured

What does "dishonoured" mean?

Uhm…. how do you explain this?

Does it have something to do with sexual stuff?

Grab the chickens! If you hold them tightly enough, they'll lay an egg!

Veli, Muhammed! Stop that!

Idiots!

How many times have I told you that you can't grab the poor chickens.

They'll be too scared to lay eggs.

We didn't, -I swear! Really, father.

Raising a family of five wasn’t easy in these conditions.