Assad's fall: Why Syrians want to stay in Germany!

Assad's fall: Why Syrians want to stay in Germany!

After the extremely explosive overthrow of ruler Bashar al-Assad in Syria, a heated discussion arose about the possible return of Syrian refugees to their home country. But the renowned migration researcher Jochen Oltmer dampens expectations. In an interview with the “Augsburger Allgemeine”, the Osnabrück professor emphasized that a large wave of returns of Syrian refugees living in Germany is hardly to be expected. “A larger wave of Syrian people returning from Germany to their homeland is unlikely,” explains Oltmer emphatically, referring to the experiences from the period after the Yugoslavian war. According to the expert's observations, refugees usually do not return in large numbers, especially if they have already put down roots in their new home.

The situation is reminiscent of the scenario after the Bosnian War, when only a small fraction of those seeking protection returned. Oltmer emphasizes: “By 1999, of the 350,000 people seeking protection, only 17,000 returned to their original places of residence.” He warns against underestimating the existing ties between Syrian refugees and Germany. There are around 250,000 students with a Syrian background in German schools, and these young people and their parents, who are striving for a stable life in Germany, have deep roots. [Welt] reports that Syrians will make up almost 40 percent of naturalizations in 2023 - an indicator that Germany has become a new home for many of them.

Integration instead of return

Oltmer suggests postponing the discussion about return programs in favor of greater integration of refugees in Germany, as demands for return could unnecessarily increase the concerns of people who are already integrated. Schools, companies and communities have invested a lot in integration, and he believes that endangering these successes by demanding people to return is counterproductive. Instead, he emphasizes the need to utilize the potential of these people and further strengthen bonds.

Political and social developments

What is interesting in this context is the political development in other host countries, which are also considering the return of Syrian refugees. [MSN] describes that several European countries have put their asylum decisions for Syrians on hold while they wait for the further stability of the situation in Syria. This careful consideration shows how important a careful analysis of political and social dynamics is in order to enable refugees to live a safe and humane life.