Coming home TO OFFENBACH Office of Employment Promotion, Integration Statisticsand Promotion, OfficeEmployment of WIR-Program Coordinator Everyday integration 13 Club Portraits TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD OF CITY COUNCILOR PETER FREIER Foreword of City Councilor Peter Freier 3 Creativity and Responsibility, Ana-Violeta Sacaliuc, WIR-Program Coordinator 5 French-Reformed Community – Interreligious Meeting Point 6 City Councilor Peter Freier, Head of Legal, Employment Promotion and Integration Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaal Offenbach – Giving back to the Nation 10 Romanian-Orthodox Church – Integration and Planting Roots 14 Dear Readers, tion for our city, we understand from future. Our task as Offenbach’s city ad- many years of experience that integra- ministration, municipal politicians and an Serbian Cultural Association – The Balkans in our Hearts 18 Offenbach received a lot of national and tion is does not occur automatically but urban society is to master and transform international attention in 2016. The city happens with numerous difficulties and these challenges into real advantages Greek Community in Offenbach and Surrounding Area – We always have Time for a Coffee 22 was nominated as the German contri- challenges. Although economic condi- for our city and the future. For this, we bution to the International Architecture tions are good, the city still shows high need education, investment and jobs Turkish Friendship Association in Offenbach and Surrounding Areag – Colorful Collectively 26 Biennial in Venice and awarded the prize unemployment and a high rate of people which contribute to securing and devel- exemplary “Arrival City” in Germany. Our accessing social services. We under- oping Offenbach as a cosmopolitan and Moroccan Islamic Cultural Center – The suitcases are empty 30 then Federal President Joachim Gauck stand that this is intrinsically connected diverse yet unified community and city. visited Offenbach at the end of Novem- to immigration. At least according to the Vietnamese Cultural Association – A Language is More than just Words 34 ber 2016 and paid tribute to the city’s di- statistical trend, immigrants have a sig- In fostering and building a community verse services for assisting immigrants nificantly higher risk of unemployment of citizens, the diverse associations and Romanian Community in the Greater Rhein-Main Region (CROM) – Cultural Engagement 38 with integrating them in our shared city. and poverty than the population at large. immigrant groups plays an increasingly On the other hand, while many regions important role in Offenbach. They of- Polish Culture Association Misericordia – New Impulse for Registered Associations 42 By the end of 2016, 159 nationalities in Germany are aging, Offenbach is a fer their members community and the called Offenbach “home.” As one of comparatively young and growing city. familiar trust of their native homelands. Bulgarians in Offenbach – Remember to Breathe Deeply 46 the most international and diverse cities This also is a product of immigration. More and more migrant organizations in Germany and Europe, very different That is, this high degree of immigration are picking up the baton and respon- Sara – Kurdisch Wowen’s Counsil Offenbach – All Women are Welcome! 50 cultures coexist peacefully and without may be an important factor to making sibility of advancing intercultural living significant conflict. We are proud of this Offenbach “future-proof.” together. They enrich what sociologists FC Asteras Offenbach – On the Ball Together 54 in Offenbach. call our “civil society” and provide the Great challenges therefore occur side- vital lifeblood of a free and democratic Imprint 58 Despite our appreciation of this atten- by-side with great possibilities for the society. That the world is one and at home in Offenbach is shown by the world map and the markings of its resident’s Ana-Violeta Sacaliuc countries of origin. WIR-Program Coordinator Migrant organizations may also pro- diverse problems from health care to and many stories from the first edition Creativity and responsibility our society. What all 13 organizations scape of Offenbach associations. vide the bridge between immigrants schools and education to questions re- in 2013 find their continuation here and portrayed here have in common is their and the German society at large. Both garding housing in the neighborhoods are of course provide wholly new inspi- The cultural diversity of the city of Of- commitment to our community through The city wishes to be a partner and are thus part of an effective integration and issues surrounding the labor mar- ration. fenbach is also reflected in the self-in- exemplary integration work in the City foster a supporting environment for program. Federal President Gauck ket. We have done this with the inten- itiative and organization of its migrant of Offenbach. the development of the associations formulated this well in his speech in tion of addressing all critical areas. What I find most exciting is that – in population. The sheer number of ed- by providing consulting services, pro- Offenbach: “Many members of these addition to the many historic migrant ucational, parental, cultural and sport For this brochure, associations and moting small projects and assisting in associations are at home in two or We are trying to strengthen migrant organizations in our city – new asso- associations linked to their member’s congregations from ten countries from networking amongst integration-mind- even more cultures. Because of this organizations with albeit small fund- ciations are being established all the national, ethnic or religious origin in Of- three continents have opened their ed actors in the public sector and be- multi-cultural perception of self, they ing programs. And so far it is work- time. The first even dates back to 1699. fenbach is simply too great to allow its doors to present portraits of them- tween the clubs themselves. With this, have the opportunity to act as bridge ing very well. In the name of the city The makers of the brochure have given magnitude to be fully reflected in just selves in image and word. The three we hope to ensure a win-win situation builders, sensitizing the majority native magistrate, I would like to personally a great deal though and effort to pre- one publication. largest foreign groups in Offenbach for everyone: society to minorities, and vice versa thank all of you who have contributed senting everything in a well-structured from Turkey, Greece and Romania are • The city gains new access to its immi- bringing immigrants who are still on to our community in the associations and comprehensible manner, even This issue of our series of publications represented here by two very different grant populations. the periphery into the society at large.” and municipalities, and also in the city with respect to our rich, shared histo- aims at providing insights into some associations each. Polish immigrants • The associations receive material and administration and its social agencies ry. I wish you all joy in reading about migrant organizations. These have ei- make up the next largest group and advisory resources for their integra- We have therefore undertaken as a city and patrons. the multi-cultural Offenbach we call ther contributed our city’s history due are portrayed in two organizations as tion work and are thereby strength- to deepen our dialogue with migrant “home.” to their longevity or been newly es- well: A religious congregation and a ened as organizations. organizations. The dialogue platform This brochure “Coming home to Offen- tablished in recent time. Through their cultural association; however, both in • Political participation and civic en- between city administration and mi- bach” is intended to be a small thank Yours truly, activities and enthusiasm they have one chapter, as they have grown to- gagement allows one to identify grant organizations, the “Integration you to our co-operation partners and developed into true places of inter- gether historically. These examples Offenbach am Main as home and Experts”, started ten years with this as all active parties and persons. It is al- culturalism and been exemplary sup- alone testify to the great diversity of oneself as an Offenbacher, regard- its mandate. This team has taken on ready the second publication of its kind Peter Freier porters of the latest developments in immigrants found amongst the land- less of one’s origin.. 6 French-Reformed Congregation ZurGold Jubelkonfirmationand diamond confirmands wurden SUMMARY:: Gold-were invited und Diamant-Konfirman to the Church’s Ju- Founded 1699 tenbilee eingeladen. Confirmation; Sie waren they 1956were Ca. 220 members undfourteen 1966 yearsvierzehn old Jahrin 1956 alt. andRe- Evangelical Congregation 1966,gelmäßig respectively. werden Gottesdienste Regular wor- Church (built in 1717) inship einfacher services Spracheare held fürin simple Men- With parsonage (built ca. 1700) languageschen mit Behinderungenfor people with abge dis- CONTACT PERSON: French-Reformed Congregation abilities,halten sowie and auchworship Gottesdiens services- Pastor Ludwig Schneider-Trotier arete auf also Französisch. held in French. President Rainer Maus Fleeing France due to their religious beliefs, about 38,000 Huguenots came CONTACT: to Germany at the end of the 17th century with many settling in Offenbach. Herrnstrasse 66 Protestants founded the French Reformed Church in as early as 1699. In 1717, D-63065 Offenbach Tel: 069 814894 they initially built a very simple church, whose façade was adorned in 1874/75 E-mail: [email protected] with its beautiful gable to be seen on corner of Herrnstrasse & Berliner Strasse. www.frgo1699.de The members of these initial Offenbach migrant organizations quickly inte- grated themselves into our city. As producers and craftsmen, they contributed to the prosperity of Offenbach and its development as a leather and industrial center. Just as before, the name André is still heard across the city. And even Goethe’s fiancée Lili Schönemann from the family D’Orville was a member of the French-Reformed Congregation. 1699 1703 Establishment of the French Reformed Church in Offenbach am Main.