A German village has politely requested its migrants to follow certain codes. It has released a list of on-ground rules too, for the newcomers. It points towards the basic civic sense such as shopping and the Highway Code besides the fundamental principles of Western society – namely gender equality, respect for females and learning the native language.
“Germany is a clean country and should remain so” states the document, reminding migrants that, in Germany, “We do our necessities exclusively on toilets, not in gardens and parks, not even in hedges and behind bushes.”
Hardheim, in Franconia Odenwald, is home to just 4,600 inhabitants. Yet approximately 1,000 refugees are currently housed in nearby Carl-Schurz-Kaserne.
Locals produced the document to help migrants integrate into their tightly knit community, and published it on the municipality website.
Though some people found it to be racist and intolerant towards the migrants but I personally feel that it’s a great initiative. Some of the migrants also felt that they are being treated like ‘animals’ because of such things, therefore the page has now been taken down.
According to reproductions in the German media, they very politely began: “Dear stranger, dear stranger! Welcome to Germany, welcome to Hardheim. Many of you have gone through terrible things. War, mortal danger, a perilous escape across half the world. That is over now. You are now in Germany.”
The document asks migrants to “learn as soon as possible the German language, so that we can communicate and you can bring your needs to express to us,” and to not make noise after 10pm in their small village.
Informing migrants they need to, “pay [for] goods at the grocery store before you open them” in Germany, and must not, “enter private property; no gardens, barns and other buildings and also not take fruit and vegetables that do not belong to you.”
More fundamental issue of Western law and culture, which migrants can struggle with, are also addressed:
“It is true that religious freedom is for all [in Germany],” they state. Equality of the sexes is mentioned: “Women must lead an independent life and have the same rights as men,” stating that all women must be treated with respect.
It also instructs the migrants, who are nearly all men, to refrain from making sexual advances on ‘young women’ in the small town, by not “asking of mobile numbers and Facebook contact, harass them, or ask anyone to get married,” it says.
“Germany is a peaceful country,” concludes the statement.
Buddy if you are actually entering a country and want to make it your home then you should at least know that there are certain rules to be followed, else you are ought to be alienated.
