German Novels on Multicultural Topics

The literature reflects the changes - or rather lack thereof - a society is going through. The choice of topics and characters can show interests and urges at the society level. Post WWII West Germany was mostly re-built through the efforts of foreign workers, especially Turkish, but also Italian or Portuguese. Twenty or ten years before, the Turkish characters were almost absent from the German literary realm and so were public figures of Turkish origin absent from the public space, unless for purely anecdotical reason.

Slowly - very slowly, but the only thing that it seems to be fast in this country is the lack of speed limit on the highway, everything takes triple time compares to other countries, at the administrative and mentality level - there are non-German voices emerging lately in the cultural and public realm - from mayors to MPs and writers. 

In the last weeks I had the chance to read two novels written in German, by authors with non-German roots on topics regarding mixed relationships. They are far from being perfect and the stories are relatively simple, but it reflects an everyday life reality, of young people getting together but testing their relationship when families are involved.

German actress Bianca Nawrath created a funny story of a Turkish-Polish relationship that is revealed during a family wedding in Poland. Getting accepted is difficult on both sides of the love story and both members of the couple cope with misperceptions and stereotypes. Food though may be a common denominator, although it does not solve the serious issues of mutual acceptance that may always remain in the background.

The story is detailed, sharing both Turkish and Polish - Nawrath herself has Polish roots - customs and recent histories, with chapter titles alternatively written in both languages. It develops both sides of the story and perspectives. It is a very easy plot, but has interesting insights about what a ´multi-cultural´ relationship may involve on the very practical, everyday-family life level.

In the German-Turkish slang, alman is usually used to describe - ironically sometimes -everything pertaining to the German everyday interactions: punctuality, careful planning of almost everything, maybe fax machines too. Ein Alman feiert selten allein by Aylin Atmaca is more dramatic and a bit more one-sided but realistic in terms of real-time interactions.

Elif is getting to know her boyfriend´s German family for Christmas holidays, an event carefully planned and prepared more than half a year in advance. The passive aggressive stupidity covering the usual questions about pork meat and ´we don´ts´ are there in their full kitsch. There is also a bonus: Jonas´ father who is dressing up a dog with a head cover shouting happily: ´Look, a Muslim´. In the end, there is a happy end and possibly another Xmas party ever after. There are references about how her family may react to Jonas, but the topic is not very much developed.

Both novels, in their easy approach and sometimes simplified approach to mixed relationships, are very important for understanding the society shifts in Germany. I can only wish more and more such books to be published in the next months and years.