Helmut Kohl's 'Remigration' Remarks Resurface in German Debate
In a recent interview with 'Freitag', political scientist Floris Biskamp recalled that former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl had already contemplated the return of foreign workers in the 1970s, a concept now termed 'remigration'. The discussion centers on a 1976 campaign event in Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, where Kohl, then Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, spoke alongside Hans Filbinger, a former Nazi jurist. Kohl argued that Germany was not a country of immigration and called for limiting the influx of foreigners. The remarks are seen as precursors to his 'geistig-moralische Wende' (intellectual-moral turnaround) of the 1980s. The article questions how far Kohl's plans for repatriation actually went, linking them to current debates on right-wing shifts in Germany.
Key facts
- Floris Biskamp recalled Helmut Kohl's 1976 remarks on returning foreign workers.
- Kohl spoke at a Freiburg event in March 1976 before state elections.
- Protesters demonstrated against Kohl outside the Stadthalle.
- Kohl shared the podium with Hans Filbinger, a former Nazi jurist.
- Kohl stated Germany was not an immigration country and called for limiting immigration.
- The remarks are seen as part of Kohl's 'geistig-moralische Wende'.
- The article is published in 'Freitag' by Ulrike Baureithel.
- The debate connects historical statements to current 'remigration' discourse.
Entities
Institutions
- Freitag
Locations
- Freiburg
- Baden-Württemberg
- Germany