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

III. Migration in 20th century European history
Migration - a key characteristic of 20th century European history? This may be surprising for 
those who equate the theme of migration with present-day migratory phenomena, such as 
migration on economic grounds, asylum problems or the problem of illegal immigration. But if 
all transborder population displacements are included, then it quickly becomes clear what a 
strong mark migratory flows have left on the century. In order to seize the full breadth and 
meaning of the phenomenon, it is both necessary and useful to begin with a brief look at the 
suitability of the concept and the significant migratory movements.
1. Suitability of the concept
The concept of "migration" is a modern catch-all concept initially borrowed from the sphere of 
biology and used ever more frequently to describe all forms of spatial movements of people.
The concept has been adopted in geography and demography, is increasingly used in didactics 
and is superseding older, mostly differentiated descriptions such as "immigration", "emigration", 
"flight" etc.
In terms of phenomena the concept covers a great variety of processes: both "involuntary" 
movements, with the use of coercion or violence, as in flight, expulsion, deportation, and 
"voluntary" movements. The common link is at the anthropological level: people leave their 
homeland and must become established as "foreigners" in a new pattern of human relations.
The advantage of the concept of "migration" lies in its neutral description and emphasis on 
features that are common to all the different forms of population movements. Thus it paves the 
way for a comprehensive approach to the subject and a European and global viewpoint.
However, it does mean that differences between the differing forms of migration, eg as regards 
reasons, the degree of free will, the circumstances, are initially unclear. And a historical view 
cannot do without such distinctions. It is necessary, therefore, to subdivide the overall concept 
of "migration", using additional notions.
Various notions are useful in this respect, although they have partly taken on political overtones.
In particular, forms of forced population displacement are clearly distinguished according to 
one's point of view: for example, notions such as "expulsion", "transfer", "deportation", 
"evacuation" or "resettlement" are used to describe one and same process of "displacement" of 
Germans from the colonised areas in central and eastern Europe to the four zones of 
occupation immediately after the Second World War. Further examples of conscious or 

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unwitting use of notions to strengthen a certain vision of history are easily found. Consideration 
of the suitability of the concept in the actual area of history teaching is therefore necessary.
But forms of population movements that were subject to a lesser degree of coercion or voluntary 
are placed on a level footing by the overall concept too. Even so, migration for professional 
reasons within Europe (possibly within large corporations), migration of the elite (film actors, 
sportsmen) or certain forms of work-related migration (eg "guest workers" in Germany) are 
distinctly different phenomena, as regards not only motives and numbers but also 
consequences.
So how is our use of "migration" to be understood? Since a European viewpoint is taken, the 
emphasis is above all on transborder population movements, be they prompted by freely taken 
decisions or forced by certain circumstances or forcibly carried out. That does not mean that 
migratory movements within states (ranging from movements between regions or towns to 
deportations) should be overlooked or neglected.