RUSSIAN-SPEAKING GERMAN MIGRANTS IN MODERN GERMANY: INDICATORS AND MECHANISMS OF SUSTAINING DOUBLE IDENTITY OF YOUNG PEOPLE
The paper considers the issue of establishing and sustaining the double identity among young generation of German immigrants coming from ethnically blended Russian-German families who arrived in Germany from the CIS countries in the 1990-s during the fourth migration wave. Micro-historical approach is used in the study. The experience of successful integration of German immigrants into German society is studied. The work is centered on the data of field studies by means of in-depth interview methods and overt observations in 2014 in Baden-Württemberg (Germany). It was revealed that respondents have the conception of inhomogeneity of German migrant community (according to the time of immigration - they differ from representatives of earlier immigration waves) and by acculturation strategies (assimilation, separation, integration), as well as they have understanding of specific nature of their paradigms compared to native Germans and their distinctiveness from Russians. The factors of establishing positive Russian-German identity can be defined as: cultural-historical migrants’ origins (memories of historical motherland, its culture and traditions), internal structures of immigrant community (Russian shops, restaurants, discos, Russian-language media and websites, etc.), as well as modern cultural reality of accepting German society. Adherence of young generation of German immigrants to Russian culture can be defined by essential level (saving native language and culture of ancestors) and instrumentalist level (Russian language skills as a condition for increased competitiveness on the German labor market). Regarding the German component of young immigrants’ identity both levels can be also defined: perception of adhesion to German people “by blood” and understanding that German language skills, adoption of norms and values of German society contributes to successful integration into accepting community. It was defined that the important mechanisms of sustaining Russian component of double identity are keeping strong family connections, marriage with representatives from German immigrants families, inclusion of children into traditions of Russian culture and orthodox church; keeping close relations with friends and relatives in Russia, etc. Formation of German component of identity occurs under the influence of socio-cultural environment of modern German society. The work reveals that immigrants under study live with the perception of their adherence to two different worlds, two cultures. Among young people there is strong belief that they have two motherlands - Russia and Germany (USSR).