A Trip To Europe

[The Lawspeaker]

A Trip To Europe

zergsprincess / 3 days ago


History is what it is. I don’t dwell on the past. I do examine, and learn from it to the best of my abilities.
If you haven’t noticed by the picture, I’m going to talk about the Korean dispersion into Germany.
As an interesting fact, though, most people think Australia is all about Crocodile Dundy, Steve Irwin, kangaroos, and the outback. Well, don’t forget, there are a lot of Germans in Australia, A LOT. I’ve seen so many Germans in Australia that I actually can recognize the REAL English German accent. The American movies have got it all wrong.
In any respect, off to Deutschland! (Germany in German). ✈ ✈ ✈

The population of the Korean community in Germany ? Over 30,000 as confirmed by the Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as of 2009. So I can only guess there are more now.
How did it get this way?

When I first knew that there were Koreans in Germany, at first I thought, what the hell are they doing there ? But then I got interested.
When I get curious enough, I find the answers. Thus, here is the short and sweet version of how we ended up in Europe.
After the reputation they created from WWII, Germany wasn’t looking so hot to the world. The country was very much divided due to their their ideologies, similar to North and South Korea. Because of Germany’s similar situation where their country was divided, West Germany wanted to offer support, and setup a system which invited miners and nurses from South Korea.
So the girls got dolled up and went to Germany!

Korean nurses arriving at the airport Cologne/Bonn 1966; © Union of Miners and Nurses dispatched to Germany

These guys that came were called Gastarbeiter, meaning guest worker.
Though the Gastarbeiters were only allowed to stay for a specific amount of time in West Germany, anyone who’s spent a few years in another country and found their second home, half of them didn’t want to leave.
I mean, who’d want to go back, they look so happy!

© Union of Miners and Nurses dispatched to Germany

So was the case with the South Koreans; they protested and fought to stay in Germany, and the government agreed.

What wasn’t so peachy?
The North Koreans. they wanted to become an influential figure in the Korean community in West Germany. Because of this, North Korea sent spies to recruit people within the Korean community. However, the South Koreans didn’t want to take this crap, so they took measures into their own hands.
Suspected people who were becoming influenced by the North Koreans were tortured and six people were sentenced to death, without the consent of the West German government.
This infuriated the German government and didn’t take this lightly; they almost cut off all ties with South Korea.

Luckily, due to other worldly incidents affecting South Korea, this diplomatic cutoff was dismissed by West Germany. Thank you!
Now, some retirees have come back to South Korea in order to live their golden years in their motherland.
There is even a village dedicated to these people which is like a German village in South Gyeongsang in the Namhae County (in red).
Webbplats:http://eng.changwon.go.kr/new/jsp/main/main_new.jsp

It’s a beautiful place, from what I can see. And the area is definitely a German village but better because all the buildings are new.

One German professor said that 90% were German here.

독일마을 – German Village
As I’ve felt the need to come to Korea sometimes even though I’m immersed in the American culture, the Koreans who’ve lived in Germany for over 20, 30 years felt the same say. Which is why this village was built.
I’m glad they’ve found a place halfway between Germany and Korea There is also talk of an American Korean community as well, but that will require giving up citizenship in the U.S. Hmmm, wonder what my parents would think about that.
Consequently, there are still people who have made Germany their home, and now reside usually in Metropolitan areas, Berlin having one of the largest Korean communities to date.
It’d be such a pleasure to meet some of these people and or their kids to see what life is like as a German Korean, through a Kyopo’s eyes.
If you’re interested, shoot me an email on thekoreandiaspora@gmail.com and I’ll get in contact with you.
Your Kyopo friend,
Jenny
Danke~ and thanks for reading.

[Breedingvariety]

There are quite a lot of Vietnamese in Germany too.

[zhaoyun]

I remember reading about a visit that the then Korean dictator and nation builder Park Chong Hee took to Germany in the 60s, he was greeted by many of these guestworkers, many who were women, and they had asked him in tears when will Korea ever become a prosperous and developed nation (because it was very poor and third world then), and he replied that he was working hard on it, and he was. His strong guidance and planning was the catalyst that built South Korea to where it is today, amongst the world's great industrial powers.

Anyways, Koreans and Germans share a lot in common, a strong work ethic, serious outlook and a love of drinking.

[Äijä]

I remember reading about a visit that the then Korean dictator and nation builder Park Chong Hee took to Germany in the 60s, he was greeted by many of these guestworkers, many who were women, and they had asked him in tears when will Korea ever become a prosperous and developed nation (because it was very poor and third world then), and he replied that he was working hard on it, and he was. His strong guidance and planning was the catalyst that built South Korea to where it is today, amongst the world's great industrial powers.

Anyways, Koreans and Germans share a lot in common, a strong work ethic, serious outlook and a love of drinking.

Sounds familiar.