Integration in Germany involves much more than finding a job, registering an address and completing the most important administrative procedures. Over time, other questions become increasingly important: how confidently you speak German, whether you have social contacts beyond your own community, how comfortable you feel in everyday communication and how you can maintain your connection with the Croatian language, family, culture and Croatia at the same time.
This section brings together content about integration, identity and belonging for Croatians living in Germany. Successful integration does not have to mean giving up your background. The aim is to explore how people can build an independent and stable life in German society while maintaining their language, family connections and personal relationship with Croatia.
How can you build a life in Germany while keeping your identity?
- Croatians in Germany – the broader hub for everyday life, experiences, community and topics connecting people with Croatian roots who live and work in Germany;
- Diaspora and community in Germany – experiences of adjusting to a new country, learning German, developing social connections, dealing with homesickness and finding a balance between life in Germany and ties to the country you came from;
- Children and Croatian language – for parents interested in bilingual upbringing, school, strong German language skills and maintaining Croatian language and identity among children growing up in Germany;
- Family and support – for practical family issues, rights and forms of support that can influence everyday life and adjustment in Germany;
- Croatia ↔ Germany – for practical and long-term connections between the two countries, including documents, rights and a life that can remain connected with Croatia even after many years in Germany;
- Return to Croatia – when questions of identity and belonging eventually become connected with the possibility of moving back to Croatia permanently or later in life.
Integration is different for every person and takes time. Someone who has just arrived in Germany faces different challenges from a person who has lived there for ten or twenty years, while children growing up in Germany often develop a different relationship with Croatia from that of their parents. Language, work, friendships, school, neighbourhood and participation in the local community gradually create a stronger sense of security and belonging.
At the same time, ties to Croatia can remain an important part of personal and family identity. The Croatian language, family relationships, visits, culture and community do not have to conflict with successful integration. For many people, the most stable outcome is being able to feel at home in Germany while remaining connected to where they or their family came from.
Continue below to explore content about integration, identity, belonging and life between Croatia and Germany.
Guides to integration and identity in Germany
