Our Canadian correspondent Rembrandt Clancy has translated an article and a video clip about Romanian immigration in Germany. The video is blatant pro-immigration propaganda put out by German state television. As the translator notes, “The question arises as to whether the broadcaster, to present crude material with such confidence, boldness and naivety, is not assuming the accomplished ‘deratiocination’ (Hans-Peter Raddatz) of the population, unless it is the only journalists who are isolated in that condition.”
ARD: Crass Manipulation on the Subject of Immigration
by Rembrandt Clancy
Are the German people really Dummköpfe (dunderheads)? An affirmative answer to this question is what may be in the minds of the journalists of the ARD, the public broadcaster which aired in their Tagesschau (Day Show) programme of 16 January 2014 an example of crude pro-immigration propaganda. The video clip appears below, introduced by a commentary by Michael Mross, the original German of which is on his internet portal Mmnews (19 January 2014). The ARD, das Erste (The First), is Germany’s “first” and largest public broadcaster (1950), the rough equivalent to the BCC.
Background:
At issue is an anticipated influx of benefits applicants to Germany from the EU’s poorest countries, Romania and Bulgaria. As of January 1st, the unelected EU Commission has lifted restrictions on the free movement of workers (Arbeitnehmerfreizügigkeit) from these countries. With its minimum wage several times higher than what it is in Bulgaria and Romania, Germany could present a particularly attractive destination for the unemployed of these countries.
Süddeutsche.de reports that the conservative CSU Bavarian wing in the CDU/CSU governing faction released a position paper in early January containing the slogan “If you cheat, you’re out”. It calls for sharper rules against “poverty immigration”, thereby unleashing a reaction from those who support unrestricted immigration:
The CSU now fears a strong influx from these two countries. The Institute for Employment Research [Institut für Arbeitsmarkt und Berufsforschung — IAB] expects that the number of Romanians and Bulgarians could rise from 100,000 to 180,000. Currently about 370,000 citizens from both of these countries are living in the Federal Republic.
The Association of German Cities and Towns [Städtetag] had already declared at the beginning of the year that many communities are overextended by poverty migration. In the “Position Paper on the question of immigration from Romania and Bulgaria”, reference was made to the “often poor educational and training situation, as well as the absent or deficient language proficiency. In this way immigrants “frequently find it difficult to gain a foothold in the labour market, and in many cases, not at all”.
As an example of the reaction against the CSU position paper, a Focus Online article quotes the immigration researcher, Klaus F. Zimmerman, who is with the Institute for the Study of Labour (Das Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit — IZA) with its seat in Bonn. The article is entitled “Immigration of Romanians and Bulgarians is good for Germany” (Zuwanderung von Rumänen und Bulgaren ist gut für Deutschland). According to Zimmerman, the prospective influx of immigrants from Romania and Bulgaria from 1 January is a “good chance” for Germany since the great majority of the them are “well-qualified specialists” (gut qualifizierte Fachkräfte) such as doctors, engineers.
The term Fachkräfte figures in the ARD video below, and is normally used to counter the critics of unrestricted immigration, since its meaning is the very opposite of “poverty immigration”. In normal usage, the term Fachkräfte is of general application, and includes highly trained, skilled, and educated people. Immigration critics, citing evidence that over the years a host of unscreened immigrants arriving in Germany without basic skills have been taking far more out of the welfare system than they pay into it, often apply the term Fachkräfte ironically as a subcategory of “culture-enrichers” (Kulturbereicherer). To illustrate, Die Welt quotes the chairman of the Greens, Simone Peter, who in reference to the anticipated Romanian and Bulgarian immigration, says that…
…immigration should be understood fundamentally as “enrichment of our socio-cultural life.
In her affirmation of the German tax payers’ support for immigrant life-style she cautioned about “hysteria and scaremongering”:
Whoever warns against ‘immigration into the social systems’, serves first and foremost xenophobic resentments, which right-wing parties and groups use for their unscrupulous purposes.
The immigration researcher, Klaus Zimmerman, continues…
In any case, one cannot speak of a mass immigration out of poverty into the German social welfare systems. This is irresponsible propaganda.
Contrary to many German table-talk pub clichés (Stammtischparolen) Romanians and Bulgarians rank among the especially well integrated immigrant groups living among us. … A quarter of them are even highly qualified.
Zimmerman’s opinion represents the theme of the ARD propaganda clip, which heaps much praise on both Romanian immigrants generally and gypsies in particular.
Here is the translation of the MMnews commentary on the ARD’s Tagesschau broadcast:
ARD: Crass Manipulation on the Subject of Immigration
by Michael Mross
19 January 2014
If the Day Show [Tagesschau] soon equates war with peace, one should not be surprised. For they are disseminating blatantly false information, they are turning facts on upside down and they are practising primitive manipulation of opinion; for example, there is their report regarding the EU’s decree on freedom of movement and residence.
Germany is the main country of immigration in Europe “and that is good news”. That is how the ARD’s chief ideologue, Gabi Bauer, begins the Nachtmagazin on das Erste [The First]. The state broadcaster does not discharge their viewers for their night’s rest without first brainwashing them.
Apparently the ARD have never heard a thing about objective reporting and the weighing of facts and opinions. For surely there can be differing views on whether or not it is good news that Germany is a major country of immigration in the EU. And this statement is by no means “news”. It is crude propaganda — typical for the ARD, which is financed by coercion through the GEZ. [“GEZwangsfinanzierte ARD“ — the GEZ is the agency which collects the compulsory TV licence fees.].
The bad news is that the political and economic conditions under which so many people live are so bad that they have to emigrate, so says Gabi explicitly. In saying this, perhaps she had Africa in mind, or the Congo, or Sudan. But no, she means the Romanians!
“Now finally begins the desired migration to us of qualified specialists [Fachkräfte]”. It is with these words that the announcer lies into the running camera without turning red. This is especially pleasing to the Interior Minister whose corresponding statement on the matter is inserted into the ARD Brainwashing Show.
The debate, according to the “news presenter”, is between facts and populism. By “facts” she means her false information and she shunts “populism” into the sphere of critics. That is pure “Current Camera” [Aktuelle Kamera: the name of the former East German state newscast]. What a beautiful new ARD-world! Different views count for nothing at the ARD — and that is what constitutes the programme mandate of public service broadcasting.
But even in matters geographical they twist things together; or better, they lie through their teeth. As a splendid example, that is to say, of how splendidly things are going with the Romanians, they pick Spain of all places. Spain, according to the moderator — it is in this way that she intends to drum it into the perplexed viewers — is only half the size of Germany and has admitted 800,000 Romanians.
Let us repeat that once more: The ARD maintains that Spain is half the size of Germany.
The reality, however, is that Spain is almost double the size of Germany (ok, this is somewhat of an overstatement: Spain’s surface area = 506,000 km2 / Germany’s surface area = 357,000 km2).
Who has not yet switched off, because he has become ill, is besmirched now by a contribution from a correspondent in Spain who is financed by the compulsory [GEZ] levy. He is supposed to show how super things are with the Romanians.
In Spain there are indeed no problems at all with Romanians — on the contrary. They are fantastically integrated; and the Spanish, in spite of the economic crisis, are happy that the Balkans are coming. As proof they show two females, a Romanian translator and a Romanian coffee bar keeper. The former is drinking her coffee, the latter is learning how to cook Spanish specialities, and everybody’s happy.
Oh yes, there are gypsies in Spain; and it is this ‘by the way manner’ that the report mentions this fact. But not even they cause problems. On the contrary: nowhere in the world than in the Iberian Peninsula is it known how to treat the begging, migrant folk in such an easygoing way.
No, the report was not a gloss; neither was it intended ironically. It is a typical ARD concoction and gives some idea of how public institutions handle other topics, turning them on their heads in just such a politically correct manner. And it is for this sort of disinformation that unsuspecting citizens, on top of it all, are asked to pay 8 billion Euros annually. Refusal to pay must therefore actually become a civic duty.
Here is the ARD Report with English subtitles. The original is on the ARD’s Tageschau website.
Transcript:
ARD: Crass Manipulation on the Subject of Immigration
Here is the ‘First German Television’ with the Nachtmagazin.
Announcer: Gabi Bauer:
That we are: A very good evening to you ladies and gentlemen.
Germany is the main country of immigration in Europe. And that is both good and bad news at the same time, for it shows that too many people are suffering under the constraint of such an enormous political or economic pressure, that they are prepared to leave their homeland, often their family as well, and then emigrate. On the other hand, now finally begins the desired migration to us of qualified specialists [Fachkräfte], which pleases the Interior Minister:
Thomas de Maizière (Christian Democratic Union — CDU):
…that we also want to become especially attractive to highly qualified people [Fachkräfte], that has functioned relatively well. … That is certainly good news.
Announcer, Gabi Bauer:
But at the same time the debate over Romanian immigration continues to be waged: between facts and populism. For that, we thought that some data could not do any harm.
The most recently compiled data show that in 2012, 205, 000 Romanians resided in Germany. In Spain, which is just over half the size of Germany, there were 870,000 Romanians. And they are still very warmly welcomed, even with the economic crisis, as our correspondent, Jörg Rheinländer, ascertained.
Correspondent, Jörg Rheinländer:
The translator, Monica Cucu, is on her way to the Café, a morning routine for any authentically Spanish person: a quick coffee and then to continue working. The difference is, that Monica Cucu is not a Spaniard at all, but a Romanian. And the woman behind the counter also hails from Romania.
For two years Mirele Necula has been operating her own bar in Alcorcón, just outside of Madrid.
Mirele Necula, Bar Custodian:
The Spanish are my friends. They have been so helpful to me in setting up everything here according to their taste. They showed me how to make a good chocolate drink. They have given me very many tips.
Correspondent, Jörg Rheinländer:
Both women are an example of the successful integration of the vast majority of Romanians. Just under 870,000 live in Spain. They are the largest immigrant group here. Many arrived prior to the economic crisis, and only a few have left. Perhaps it is because the differences in mentality are so minor.
Monica Cucu, Translator:
Yes, we live together without any problems. I have been in Spain since 1998. I have been well received. Perhaps the reason is that we are also Latinos. Moreover, our languages are very similar. In any case, we have integrated quickly.
Correspondent, Jörg Rheinländer:
Naturally there is a special infrastructure for businesses such as these. But the Romanians appear to have a major interest precisely in NOT isolating themselves. Yes, these Romanians are also in Spain, begging Roma. But even toward these people, the Spanish are amazingly easy-going.
In contrast to Germany, immigrants here have no immediate claim to state benefits, like a child allowance for example.
Pablo Gómez-Tavira: Director of Immigration Authority, Madrid:
It has not been so attractive to come to Spain. There are no longer so many opportunities on the job market. Consequently, even fewer Romanians and Bulgarians have arrived in the last few years. But of course we are also following the debate in Germany. What we don’t want is for anyone to play politics with this subject.
Correspondent, Jörg Rheinländer:
An image with symbolic value. No native Spaniard can prepare the famous Spanish fried-dough pastry, churros, better than Dorin Moldovan. In any case, prejudices and nationality play no role in Mirele Necula’s café.
Depressing. So many lies…
In the US, the “real” unemployment rate is ~37%, with the percentage much higher among the young, but you have to dig to get the real rate.
In the Eurozone, it’s bad too:
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/nov/29/eurozone-youth-unemployment-record-high-under-25s
The economic reality for the young is grim world-wide, though it’s better in Europe than US, sorry to say. I read recently that Denmark’s outlook for upward mobility is fairly good, given the current circumstances.
That may translate to other parts of northern Europe but it’s not true of the south or of MENA. And Saudi Arabia kicking out all the Pacific Rim folk who do their grunt work will mean a collapse of remittance flow as the workers go home.
RE: this post — Romania must be some kind of economic hell if that many Romanians are in Spain, never mind the ones in Germany.
On a personal note, Gates of Vienna lost a wonderful reporter/translator, a young man who sank under the waves of chronic poverty and lack of work everywhere he went. That sad story is being repeated all across the western world for the young who have no connections or nepotism to land a job…
The truth is that the British and the German politicians are both using the Romanians and the Bulgarians for different political gains.
First, you seem to know a lot about Romanians. So, first you have to acknowledge the fact that indeed, aside gypsies, many Romanians are educated, the numbers go close to about 30-40% of the young population. Although the quality of education is much worst than it used to be under the communist regime, propaganda put aside (because we did not export intelligence back then), and this is the fault of the European system which we adopted without having the capacity to adopt capitalist values out of thin air, with a bit of work they can come quite good at what they do. I blame the low quality of our educational system mostly on the EU who destroyed everything here in the last two decades. Even so I know personally a lot who are studying in Western Europe, many with PhDs and they don’t have rich parents to finance their studies there. Also as I grew with Germans here in Romania I can tell you that although the Germans were better workers (more disciplined and persistent) they were surpassed by the Romanians in terms of general intelligence and imagination. I had the occasion to study in the 90s with older students who were coming from the communist regime, and they were rock solid. Even so you should visit now some mathematics-physics institutes in Romania, you would be amazed about how well prepared the professors and the students are. What they are lacking in is the equipment, but they are good theoreticians. Not everyone is a scientist here, but the percentage of educated people is the same like in any other Western country, if not higher -because we have the older generations who did not have TVs and other distractions in the communist regime and all they used to do was reading and studying a lot in their spare time.
There is also truth in what they say about the living conditions in Romania. Conditions in Romania are terrible! I invite you come over here and work for 300 euros a month while paying 100 euros for renting a 1 room apartment. Add paying for food, clothes, electricity and so on.
Back to the main subject, about the German politicians, the counter-example is the UK where the British people (not Arabs with British papers) they had enough of the immigrants. In the UK the politicians in order to prove the population that they are granting their wishes they tried to using the Romanians and the Bulgarians as scapegoats for their faulty immigration policies. Things are apparently different in Germany who is under heavy US influence. The irony is that this time the Germans are incidentally telling the true when they say that Romanians and Bulgarians integrate well. I have to repeat, do not put gypsies in the same basket with the Romanians. They are a separate ethnic class who are all over Europe in different percentage, resembling more to the Jews when they did not have any country back in the days, gypsies having many nationalities and also being used by the pro-immigration politicians under US influence, thanks to the confusion they inflict over the identity of European nations.
The Germans do not dare to express their dissatisfaction regarding immigration, the Germans being suffocated in anti-Nazi propaganda and so the politicians still say positive things about immigration in general, showing the Romanians and the Bulgarians as good example because it is true but at the same time they unfairly are transforming them into tools to justify the imposed general immigration policy which applies to the Africans and Arabs as well. The German politicians are between, with connection with the upper class. There is where their interests and the interests of the upper class and the interests of the middle class clash, at political level. They will turn against immigration only when the danger represented by the people will be imminent and bigger than the one represented by the possibility to be sacked by the influential US/International cartels. The German politicians are against foreigners as well, but the threat presented by Romanians and Bulgarians pale in comparison to the thousands of hordes of Africans who are looming over Europe and who the Americans are eager to put into Germany. When they say nice things about East Europeans only for a blind this do not point out to the British, which translates like this: it is true that immigration is bad for you, but it is not the Romanians and the Bulgarians who are bad. Then, who? This question no one is allowed to answer.
The problem with immigration into the U.K. arises because we are a small country and all the public services (housing, schools, medical, etc.) are being overloaded due to very large numbers of immigrants being let in. You are, however, right about the Government here using Romanians and Bulgarians as scapegoats.
It may well be that Spain is, economically, half the size of Germany. And it is in the economic realm that immigration’s impact on the livelihoods of the current citizenry play out.
As to the skills of Romanians and Bulgarians, I wouldn’t know about Bulgaria, but Romania has at any rate a tradition of excellence in mathematics. Since this is a skill that carries across language and cultural barriers almost unimpeded, I can well imagine that Romanian emigres to Germany are on the whole quite capable.
The fact of the matter is that the European Union is a complete scam, sham and disaster built on lies upon a grand scale, when little Ireland voted to leave the EU their electorate were forced to vote again and the answer was Yes (a fix?).
The Eastern European and Southern European countries should never have been given access to the EU, their economies were far too weak, just look at Spain and Portugal now.
The United Kingdom should never have taken anything to do with this Socialist totalitarian disaster from day 1, yet back in the mid 60s and early 70s we were told that becoming part of a common market with Western Europe would have great economic benefits and that it would only ever be a common market for trade and industry?
Before the UK joined the Common market we had a fantastic car industry, names such as Humber, Riley, MG, Hillman, Standard, Singer have since the mod 60s early 70s been consigned to the parts bin of history, Land rover, Range Rover, Jaguar, TVR, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Mini etc etc have had similar fates or have fallen into American, German and even Indian ownership.
Our military has went to the wall in much the same way and the Britannia that once ruled the waves has not even got a completed aircraft carrier with the planes right now, our army and airforce is depleted and much of their numbers is made up of part timers, the UK cannot now commit to being a partner with America in joint operations across the globe as our forces are simply not sufficient in power these days.
So what, the UK will reinvent itself and for all those that deride these islands, we know at least part of any derision is envy of our past in which we achieved so much for the forwarding of the human race.
When Tony Blair (B-LIAR) was in office he plainly took some pointers from the then US President with regards to the cheap labour flowing in to the U.S.A across the Mexican border.
Blair and his administration bowed to Corporate interests and opened the UK to A8 Eastern/Central European migration when they acceded to the European Union in 2004, 2 other countries allowed the A8 migrants access to their labour markets, Britain-Ireland & Sweden, every other EU member put a block on this migration for 9 years so as to protect their indigenous workers from wage suppression and their economies from the inevitable drain upon their economies.
The movement of people to the 3 countries was Biblical in scale and these host countries were overwhelmed and caught of guard by the scale and social implications of this unwanted migration.
The migrants from these countries would readily accept employment paying £4.00p per hour, when an indigenous UK worker would be wanting £11.00p per hour for doing the same work, the unions became much weaker in the UK whilst the EU workers are more than happy to improve their lifestyle and money by 5 times or more than they would receive in their own countries, unrest within the UK workforce because they have the ever growing spectre of cheap foreign labour omnipresent there to replace them, the British workers have to accept this and the Unions are crushed.
The present leaders of the UK and other E.U states are currently meeting in DAVOS to congratulate themselves on their work and to begin on stage 2…. Total control.
Meanwhile we have Bulgarian EU minister Laszlo Andor dictating to the United Kingdom that we must accept more EU migrants who seek work and qualify for UK benefits, we had Polish leader Donald Tusk telling the UK he would block any moves by the UK to curtail EU migrants from claiming the vast range of UK benefits on offer that are being abused and taken mainly by the migrants from the poorer EU states in the former Eastern Bloc, we have 600.000 from Poland alone taking UK benefits, when you consider that UK benefits pay more than wages in Poland alone, it is obvious that this is a major issue, considering that Bulgaria & Romania are much poorer than Poland or Slovakia etc.
Romanian & Bulgarian economic migrants are flocking to the UK and elsewhere in Western Europe as we speak, its all dumbed down by the media just like the Polish and other A8 migration was and is, in a similar manner in which the Islamic migration and other 3rd world migration is covered up, alongside the crimes and frauds and chaos this is all bringing.
Its plain the poorer EU members are having a really good deal from the EU at present whilst they ride piggyback on the stronger economies such as Germany, France, UK etc etc etc, the governments from these poor Eastern European nations are glad to see the back of their own people, whilst they take Billions of EU money to replenish their infrastructures such as
brand new subway systems in Budapest, new Motorways in Poland etc etc, all paid by the richer countries who are having their lifeblood sucked dry by their net payments to the EUSSR that is keeping failed economies afloat.
Then the economic migration and remits drain countries further, on country that I mentioned before is cashing in to the tune of 15 billion euros+ in remits sent back to each year, x5 its a windfall of 75 billion in their currency, then they have the EU grants .
Its time to get the UK out of the UK and to re-negotiate ties with the old British commonwealth and the B.R.I C countries and North America, the country the UK does the most trade with in the EU is Ireland. Referendum on the EU for the UK now.
http://youtu.be/OlFOTGuvxl
http://youtu.be/On595TWrpul
http://youtu.be/1xYL7xROOqM
http://youtu.be/a4vzVncozDs
http://youtu.be/-P-f1mssUel
http://youtu.be/n7KO3Bq5zEE
http://youtu.be/LGfbSCitChw
http://youtu.be/3aGnFvDTVIM
http://toutu.be/hRwdT5pYJX0
Just to address one subject in this list, the former British motor industry (large chunks of which were American-owned): while it had its problems with militant unions, it was also badly managed and made some lousy products, which was in no way the fault of the Common Market/EU.
I never entirely blamed the demise of the British motor industry on the European union, though as the marks of cars went out of business or were took over, the British roads became the domain of Datsun’s/Nissan’s, Renault’s, Citreon’s, Volvo’s, Volkswagen’s, Fiat’s, Saab, Toyota’s,Skoda etc etc.
Yes the British car industry made some crap that was poorly designed, underpowered, unreliable and rusted away, strange how it all seemed to occur over a concentrated period. You forget to mention that the UK made some of the finest cars the world ever seen such as the Jaguar, Aston martin, Rolls Royce/Bentley, Land rover products, TVR, Lotus, Wolsley, Riley, Austin etc.
Vauxhall is part of the global General motors who has Chevrolet in the USA, Opel in Europe, Holden in Australia etc.
Ford Britian manufactured such gems as the Anglia, Cortina, Zephyr/Zodiac and Popular etc
Chrysler USA bought out British company Rootes who manufactured the Humber, Singer, Hillman etc , they sold hillman hunters and imps and avengers under the Chrysler brand until they sold the UK loss making venture and patents on the models to French company Peugeot Talbot who then manufactured these vehicles alongside their existing line of vehicles fro a few years until closing their British operation down in the early 1980’s, I know as my father worked in one of their plants.