Seeing Immigrants in Germany – Evidence from a Critical Juncture in the 1960’s and 70’s

The major arrival of immigrants in Europe in 2015 was particularly experienced in Germany where about 1 million persons were registered. The admission of these newcomers was, however, not uncontroversial as the political far right demanded that unauthorised migration should be monitored and curbed. In light of the current situation, this paper revisits the historical emergence of the irregular migration control regime in Germany. It turns to the 1960’s when Germany still encouraged the arrival of migrant workers and to the early 1970’s when first legal restrictions towards immigration were introduced. The passing of the first post-war law on foreign residents in 1965 indicates that immigration had come to be seen as a problem in need of regulation. A few years on, in 1973, the German government clearly stated its commitment to stop the arrival of any further ‘guest workers’. Based on archival research, this paper will reconstruct the decision-making processes in German ministries between the passing of the 1965 Foreigners Act and the first restriction of migrant workers in 1973. The paper argues that this period is a critical turning point when officials started to ‘see’ immigrants differently. It examines the policy deliberations which led to the creation of various pathways to, and categories of, legal and illegal residence and work in Germany. In so doing, it sheds light on the origins of the current migration control regime in Germany.