"Migrations in the 20 th century and their consequences – ways forward for history lessons within a European context"

4. Migration policy and integration strategies
The end of the East-West conflict, progressive European integration and global developments 
are creating a new framework for migration processes at the end of the 20th century. The 
diversity of immigration and emigration and also the quantitative aspects are often not taken into 
account in public discussion. The task at hand, as far as policy is concerned, is to look at 
historical experience and develop concepts for considering migratory movements
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.
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The displacement of populations and the process of their integration in Poland after the Second World 
War was dealt with by Dr Monika Choroś, Instytut Śląski in Opole/Poland
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The following information is based on the contribution by Prof. Friedrich Heckmann of the Centre for 
European Migration Studies at Bamberg University.

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Further focal points of the seminar were therefore:
-
discussion of the problems of migration data,
-
a historical analysis of the links between the stance of states vis-à-vis immigrants, the 
political measures taken and the degree of success of integration processes.
4.1. Apprehending the situation as regards migration
The example of the Federal Republic of Germany reveals that, contrary to prevailing public 
opinion, the migration situation is very much the result of immigration 
and
emigration:
Forms of immigration to the Federal Republic of Germany
Immigration and emigration in 1998
The fact that data are recorded differently is a major problem. Where migration from other 
countries is concerned, for example, the definition of "foreigner" varies in national statistics.
This makes comparison between different European states more difficult. It is interesting to 
take a look at immigration in absolute terms and the so-called "immigration rate" - insofar, as 
always when using statistical data, as the categories are properly checked to avoid any 
misinterpretations. This also provides teachers with a means of fostering method-based 
knowledge and critical analysis. In addition to specialist publications, recognised 
organisations
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provide data and additional links, also available on the following web-sites:
Internet addresses (selection)
http://www.statistik-bund.de
(Statistisches Bundesamt, Germany)
http://www.unine.ch/fsm/mission_d.htm
(Swiss Forum for migration studies)
http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/eurostat/eurostat.html
(Statistical Information Office of the European Communities) 
http://www.unicc.org/unece/stats/stats_h.htm
(United Nations /Economic Commission for Europe)
http://www.cemes.org
(Centre for European Migration and Ethnic Studies)
http://www.igc.ch/framstat.htm
(Inter-Governmental Consultations on Asylum, Refugee and Migration Policies in Europe, North 
America and Australia)
http://www.ercomer.org
(European Research Centre for Migration and Ethnic Relations)
http://coombs.anu.edu.au/ResFacilities/DemographyPage.html
(The World-Wide Web Virtual Library: Demography & Population Studies)
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The European Centre for Migration Studies of Bamberg University, for example, publishes a CD-ROM 
containing differentiated data and other material on the migration situation in the Federal Republic of 
Germany.

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4.2. Means of integration in different European countries
(cf the full text of the contribution by 
Prof. Heckmann appended)
European societies have known many diverse immigration phenomena since the end of the 
Second World War. The illusion that immigration is a passing problem is giving way to the 
assessment that the integration of new groups is becoming a long-term task. That task 
represents a challenge to established ideas on the formation and identity of a nation and on the 
welfare state.
Was does "integration" mean? It is the incorporation of new population groups in existing social 
structures and the integration of those groups in the existing system of socio-economic, legal 
and cultural relations; a process that generally lasts longer than one generation. The following 
sub-headings can be distinguished:
-