Minister of the Interior meets with the minorities in Germany at the Open House 2014 of the German Federal Government

Press Release (Minderheitensekretariat)

Minister of the Interior meets with the minorities in Germany at the Open House 2014 of the German Federal Government

At the 16th Open House of the Federal Government in Berlin on Sunday 31st August 2014, the affable Minister of the Interior, Dr Thomas de Maizière, engaged in a discussion with the four autochthonous national minorities in Germany. He spoke with them and with the Federal Commissioner for Matters Related to Ethnic German Resettlers and National Minorities, Mr Hartmut Koschyk MP at the information stall of the Frisians, the Danes in South Schleswig, the German Sinti and Roma and the Lusatian Sorbs. Next to the German Minority Council and Secretariat also the umbrella organisation of the minorities in Europe – FUEN – and its President Hans Heinrich Hansen were present.

During the discussion the minorities explained, in an open and lively way, how much the minorities are an added value for Germany and for Europe. Whether it was because of the rich diversity in terms of regional and minority languages in Europe, as the minister was able to learn from the Map of the Minorities in Europe; whether it was the appeal from the minorities to the European Union to engage in an active dialogue on improving the participation of the European minorities, or rather the delicious pickles from the Sorbian Spreewald-region in Lower Saxony, which can be either spicy or sour depending on the situation: Interior Minister De Maizière has personally become convinced that the minorities are added value for Germany and for Europe!

“We asked the Interior Minister for a follow-up meeting with the minorities later this year, in which we want to talk about our current priorities. He has agreed and we are very glad he did!”, said the Chairman of the Minority Council, David Statnik.
With a varied information and entertainment programme the Open House 2014 at the Federal Ministry of the Interior lived up to expectations. For example on Saturday the young Frisian singer Norma Schultz performed on stage, and captivated old and young people with her Frisian songs.

“We are very pleased that for the first time the Federal Commissioner for Matters Related to Ethnic German Resettlers and National Minorities gave information about his work in a stall directly adjacent to ours. As a result, thousands of visitors were able to get a deep understanding about the minorities in Germany – from different perspectives. We are very satisfied with the event and are already excited to participate next year in the new building of the Federal Ministry of the Interior close to Berlin Central Station and hope that we will have the same conditions as this year”, said Judith Walde, Leader of the German Minority Secretariat.

If you have any questions (also requests for photos), please contact:
David Statnik, Chairman of the German Minority Council:+49 (0)173 6477167
Judith Walde, Leader of the Minority Secretariat:+49 (0)173 9936731 or info@minderheitensekretariat.de

More information:

www.minderheitensekretariat.de

http://www.minderheitensekretariat.de/aktuelles/a/artikel/detail/bundesminister-des-innern-trifft-minderheiten-zum-tag-der-offenen-tuer-der-bundesregierung/

http://www.aussiedlerbeauftragter.de/SharedDocs/Kurzmeldungen/AUSB/DE/tag-der-offenen-tuer-bilanz.html?nn=3791944

Photo: The German Federal Minister of the Interior, Dr Thomas de Maizière, and the Federal Commissioner for for Matters Related to Ethnic German Resettlers and National Minorities, Mr Hartmut Koschyk, in discussion with representatives of the national minorities in German and the President of FUEN, Hans Heinrich Hansen

Photo Minderheitensekretariat

More photos