German Migrants in Post-War Britain: An Enemy Embrace

by Inge Weber-Newth, Johannes-Dieter Steinert

Both timely and topical, with 2005 marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this unique book examines the little-known and under-researched area of German migration to Britain in the immediate post-war era. Authors Weber-Newth and Steinert analyze the political framework of post-war immigration and immigrant policy, and the complex decision-making processes that led to large-scale labour migration from the continent. They consider:



* identity, perception of self and others, stereotypes and prejudice
* how migrants dealt with language and intercultural issues
* migrants' attitudes towards national socialist and contemporary Germany
* migrants' motivation for leaving Germany
* migrants' initial experiences and their reception in Britain after the war, as recalled after 50 years in the host country, compared to their original expectations.

Based on rich British and German governmental and non-governmental archive sources, contemporary newspaper articles and nearly eighty biographically oriented interviews with German migrants, this outstanding volume, a must-read for students and scholars in the fields of social history, sociology and migration studies, expertly encompasses political as well as social-historical questions and engages with the social, economic and cultural situation of German immigrants to Britain from a life-historical perspective.

Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2004

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book examines the arrival of, predominantly young, German men and women in Britain under a variety of schemes in the years immediately post World War Two. Based on sound archival research and personal testimonies the author explores schemes including Westward Ho, Balt Cygnet and North Sea. She considers the schemes themselves, the individuals motivations for migration, Britain's need for workers, the work, the camps, the unions, the voluntary and other organisations involved, and the migrant experiences.

This is a thorough, informative and well written account.