Refugees in Germany - the European dream?

Refugees from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and many other conflict-ridden countries were camping at Berlin’s Oranienplatz for two years. In April 2014, they were evicted from the square. Selfies taken by its former residents were exhibited under the title “The European Dream” to show locals how their lives developed during summer while moving to another camp and during many demonstrations.

The refugees' slogan has been: "If we stay here, we remain visible - which gives us the power to make a difference politically. If we leave Oranienplatz, then we’ll become invisible once again." Between 2005 and 2012, Germany accepted just 10 refugees per 100,000 inhabitants, less than the average of 23 refugees that were accepted by the EU's 11 northern and western countries.

Some Berliners, such as German President Joachim Gauck, showed solidarity with the refugees. In a keynote speech in June 2014, he attacked the EU policy on refugees coming by boat. "Even the high sea is not a legal vacuum. Human rights apply there as well," he said. "The images of coffins in the hangar of the airport in Lampedusa do not fit with the image that we Europeans have of ourselves."

Many refugees have to suffer through a lengthy application process. After being allowed to enter Germany, they are referred to a reception center, where they can stay while the application is reviewed. After being questioned about their route and the persecution in their home countries, a final decision is made. Despite the long wait, 38.5 percent of asylum applications were denied in 2013.

The communities where refugees end up living, often have little to no tolerance for the asylum seekers and sometimes even threaten them. This summer, the Spreehotel Bautzen in eastern Germany was transformed into a refugee center. Because of constant physical threats, the center’s manager had to erect a fence to protect the 150 refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and 15 other nations.

Human rights activists and several politicians have joined forces with refugees and are demanding new ways to overcome bureaucratic hurdles. Martin Patzelt, of the conservative party CDU, insisted that households should be allowed to give "free lodging" to refugees in an attempt to ease pressure on the government, which he says would then only be responsible for healthcare and cost of living.

The exact fate of many of the refugees shown in these Oranienplatz selfies isn’t clear, however, many of them supposedly went through additional hardship in Germany. DW found a humiliating identification process and poor living conditions in the refugee centers to be additional obstacles for refugees.

Elisabetta was shooting with Ali (left), a young Afghan refugee, to highlight tolerance issues in German society. He said: “When I wake up, my first thought is that this might be my last day in this country.”