Werner Felten - Author dispels Turkish stereotypes!
- Written by Portal Editor
Werner Felten - Endless articles in newspapers and news programs, and sometimes controversial discussions, are currently taking place in Germany and neighbouring countries on the topic of integrating foreigners, specifically Turks.
For the first time, German media expert and journalist Werner Felten writes about Turks living in Germany without prejudice and never in a hurtful way. In his book, he not only describes the problems associated with attempts at German-Turkish integration, but also provides numerous examples of what Turks actually think about Germans.
For more than eight years, Werner Felten worked at his radio station, which broadcast in Turkish. Understandably, most of his team was of Turkish origin, meaning that Felten, as a German, lived and worked among Turks. Felten managed the station Metropol FM simultaneously as managing director and program director. Inevitably, he had to learn Turkish, but through his interactions with his staff, he also gained many insights into the Turkish mentality and way of thinking, which significantly facilitated successful collaboration. Today a self-employed media entrepreneur, Felten's concept was so successful that many cities with high immigrant populations adopted it and launched similar programs.
In his book, he uses his experiences and insights gained from living alongside Turks and Germans to describe their coexistence using examples and without prejudice, thus holding a mirror up to society.
The book: Werner Felten: "Alone Among Turks - Right in the Middle Instead of Looking Down on Them," Sรผdwest Verlag, Munich 2010, 240 pages, โฌ16.99
Werner Felten - An Interview by Melanie Bergs
Essen. What's it like to be the only German among Turkish colleagues? Werner Felten worked as a German guest worker among Turks for eight years. He has written a book about it, which can be seen as a counterpoint to Sarrazin's theses.
Currently, there is much discussion about Turks in Germany. But Werner Felten is a German who also knows the other side. And he knows what it feels like to be in the minority. For eight years, he was the only German journalist working at the Turkish-language radio station Metropol FM. A German guest worker among Turks. He learned the Turkish language and got to know the people who, despite decades of living together, have remained foreign to many Germans. In "Alone Among Turks," Felten describes his experiences and simultaneously becomes an advocate for Turks, who are not among the losers of integration. Felten's book can also be seen as a counterpoint to Thilo Sarrazin's theses. In an interview with DerWesten, he explains what is wrong with our image of Turks and why Turks feel particularly at home in Bavaria.
You immigrated to a Turkish society as a German. How did the Turks receive you?
Werner Felten: Very politely and kindly, and over time their warmth also became apparent. In contrast, Turks consider us to be cool, rational people. But they also appreciate this quality in us. They combine rationality with a methodical approach, and the Turks admire that. They especially appreciate German punctuality and even still believe in the punctuality of Deutsche Bahn (laughs).
Before working for Turkish radio, you didn't know a single Turk personally. What was the biggest surprise for you?
Felten: That they're hardly different from us. I was previously influenced by media stereotypes. I still had the classic image of the guest worker in my mind, someone who builds a house in their home country and is always drawn back to Turkey for vacations. But especially the younger generation prefers to go to Ibiza or Mallorca. They hardly have any connection to Turkey anymore.
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