German Migrants in Post-War Britain: An Enemy Embrace

Both timely and topical, with 2005 marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this unique book examines the little-known and under-researched area of German migration to Britain in the immediate post-war era. Authors Weber-Newth and Steinert analyze the political framework of post-war immigration and immigrant policy, and the complex decision-making processes that led to large-scale labor migration from the continent. They consider: * Identity, perception of self and others, stereotypes and prejudice * How migrants dealt with language and intercultural issues * Migrants attitudes towards national socialist and contemporary Germany * Migrants motivation for leaving Germany * Migrants initial experiences and their reception in Britain after the war, as recalled after 50 years in the host country, compared to their original expectations. Based on rich British and German governmental and non-governmental archive sources, contemporary newspaper articles and nearlyeighty biographically-oriented interviews with German migrants, this outstanding volume encompasses political as well as social-historical questions, and engages with the social, economic and cultural situation of German immigrants to Britain from a life-historical perspective.

Johannes-Dieter Steinert is Senior Research Fellow at the History and Governance Research Institute (HAGRI), University of Wolverhampton and Associate Professor of Modern History at the University of Osnabruck.