Haymatland

"I never felt like I wasn't German. It was only when I appeared on television that people began to question my homeland. Today, I ask myself: In which Germany do I want to live, and in which Germany do we actually want to live?" Not only the comments on her Facebook page but also other symptoms in our country worry Dunja Hayali. Germany is increasingly splitting into two camps: on one side, the supporters, and on the other side, the fierce opponents of an open, pluralistic, free society. More and more people have lost trust in our politicians and media and feel threatened by new developments – foremost by the increasing migration. However, Germany is indeed an immigration country where people from various cultural backgrounds seek a new home. And those who see Germany as their homeland must be willing to actively contribute to its future. This does not mean isolating oneself and perceiving everything seemingly foreign and unusual as hostile and dangerous. Rather, it is about defending what is at stake: our liberal democracy, which has guaranteed peaceful coexistence for us Germans for decades. Dunja Hayali delves into the questions that put our nation under tension: How is "homeland" defined? What will become of Germany when self-proclaimed homeland protectors misuse this term as a cipher for exclusion? And how can we confront the hatred of nationalists and preserve the liberal society? "Dunja Hayali, rooted in both German and Iraqi culture, compellingly and authentically tells us what (our) homeland is." Claus Kleber.