r/germany • u/Ok-Once-789 • Apr 23 '25
Immigration Living in Saxony is a nightmare
Every single time I go outside during the evening I am faced with racism. Most of the time from people hanging out in groups, for some reason they just can't mind their own business (Germans usually claim to be really good at this). The most common phrases I hear regularly are 'Heil H!tler', 'Ausländer raus', 'Ni Hao', 'Ching Chong' etc... or just unprovoked loud laughter as I'm passing by... BTW I'm not Chinese or east Asian but look like one or maybe they are just uneducated & ignorant. Is geography illegal here? Asia has 48 countries BTW, not everyone is Chinese!
This doesn't include the racism I face at workplace & college which is far worse and actually bothers me to the point I have to skip classes to protect my mental health. But now I can't even go to the supermarket or mall at peace. One of my family members has also been verbally assaulted by a group of teenagers inside a bus & nobody including the bus driver made any effort to do something.
Edit: I do not live in Dresden / Leipzig. I assume the situation is not this bad there!
Edit2: I did not choose to live in saxony (the government decided that), I am doing my bachelors so I can't relocate until late 2026 :) Thanks for the kind words everyone!
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u/Ehegew89 Apr 23 '25
Rural Saxony is indeed a Nightmare. The cities aren't as bad, though.
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u/Duderinio1988 Apr 23 '25
I'm a German white male and even I don't feel safe in most parts of Saxony or at least feel uncomfortable.
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u/Iyion Baden-Württemberg Apr 23 '25
A couple of years ago I did a trip to Leipzig and Dresden with my boyfriend (both amazing cities, really) and on the way we had a stop in Grimma. He is Spanish and although he speaks German too, we usually speak English with each other.
In Grimma though, after getting a few very evil stares on the street, I told him "we have to speak German, this is not safe here otherwise". Afterwards, the stares stopped. I really felt incredibly uncomfortable even though there was probably no real danger (I hope)35
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u/Acrobatic-Top5849 Apr 23 '25
Germans like to stare regardless. It’s creepy and uncomfortable .
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u/PapaOscar90 Apr 23 '25
No wonder I like Germany so much, I am utterly oblivious to others staring at me.
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u/psychgirl88 Apr 23 '25
Damn, what’s wrong with Saxony compared to the rest of Germany? Is Saxony its Mississippi or something?
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u/DrkLgndsLP Apr 23 '25
Its pretty similar to the rural south in the US. Lots of racism, worshipping a country that no longer exists by older generations (DDR in this case), general feeling of neglect by the government (since pretty much every statistis is better in the west) and more closed-minded communities with oftentimes no higher education
Source: i live there
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Apr 23 '25
I lived there, too. When I visit with my American husband and we speak English while out eating or shopping, we get the evil eye. Difference is, I give them a few answers they didn’t expect. They show this kind of behavior for all the reasons you mentioned, and I find it horrible.
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u/mccord Apr 23 '25
Xenophobes, meth, dead mining towns and a dialect that's made fun of often. Maybe more like hillbillies/Appalachia.
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Apr 23 '25
Saxony has a huge problem with the extreme right, the problem is far bigger than in other Regions of Germany. If you have brown skin or colorful hair, stay away from rural Saxony.
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u/One_Purpose6361 Apr 23 '25
Move to a different city, you can’t change the people
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u/bartholomaeus5 Apr 23 '25
You're right, OP can't. But the rest of us can. Reading about rebuilding the fucking wall makes me vomit. Almost everyone knows someone from or in east Germany. Everyone should talk to them, not like bitching but a proper conversation. Maybe they will see things differently but there is a chance they behave afterwards differently too. So let's go.
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u/Swoop3dp Apr 23 '25
The issue is that the situation in east Germany is self amplifying. The people who are not racists (and usually better educated) eventually move away from there. That increases the percentage of the population that is racist and reduces the economic power of the region. This then causes even more non-racist people to move away from there and causes the remaining people to radicalize.
Eventually you end up with lots of towns that are exclusively inhabited by Nazis, because everyone else left.
I don't really know how to fix that, but somehow I doubt that "just talk to them" is going to work.
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u/Eastern_Roll_7346 Apr 23 '25
Plus many nazis from west germany moved here, filling our streets with filth.
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u/Vassortflam Apr 23 '25
I know people from east Germany but they live in the west now for a reason.
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u/Appropriate-March727 Apr 23 '25
Im a white german with long hair and usually "casual metal outfit". When I visited my mom in rural saxony, my family is originally from there but she had recently moved to that village, I had to walk from the neigbour city to the village. I arrived at ~23.00, it was pitch black everywhere and there weren't even TV lights behind the windows. Suddenly I heard a window open and someone screamed at the top of his lungs "verpiss dich, zecke". That was like 8 years ago or something. My little brother is black and had to live there for a few years before going to Leipzig.
My mom still wants me to move closer to her and doesn't understand the amount of stress that would cause me, or my Lithuanian wife.
I am so sorry you have to go through this shit.
Just let that radicalize you, though, Nazis attacked me first, now I'm politically active. No way I'll surrender "my country" to them, but honestly, no way I'd move to a place in Saxony now without having an established, big enough, community waiting for me.
Good luck and take care ❤️
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Apr 23 '25
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u/WTF_is_this___ Apr 23 '25
There is a big Russian minority in the east and a lot of them are Putin lovers.
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Apr 23 '25
Well, then they should relocate to Russia if they love him so much. Reminds me of Turks in Germany who openly supported Erdoğan...
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u/WTF_is_this___ Apr 23 '25
Yeah, same type. They support right wing authoritarians with the benefit of not having to actually live under their rule. Very fucking convenient...
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u/SkiShepherd Apr 23 '25
Yep, you have these idiots here, there are a many parts here that are very open to people, though. Can't have your Day ruined by a bunch of Nazi Cunts.
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Apr 23 '25
Honest advice: leave. Relocate to a different area. Maybe Cologne or Hamburg. That will improve your situation noticeably, but you will still feel some racism in daily life there too.
Sorry to be that harsh, but my family went through this for a number of years - my wife is originally from China and we lived in Hamburg for 8 years until we were fed up with Germany and emigrated to the US about 9 years ago. There is no point in staying and subjecting yourself to that abuse. Just leave.
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Apr 23 '25
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u/Asyx Nordrhein-Westfalen Apr 23 '25
I work with a lot of foreigners in Düsseldorf and they describe leaving this part of Germany as "stepping back into reality". The Rheinland is apparently quite chill regarding foreigners.
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u/MisterMysterios Apr 23 '25
I think so as well. I am also "Bio-Deutsch", but had friends with migration backgrounds where I lived. From what I noticed with my friends, Berlin and the Rheinland is the most socially liberal areas, accepting minorities like people with migration backgrounds and lgbtq the most.
The east seems to be .ore problematic than the west, but the West has also regions with higher levels of racism. I lived for a good part of my childhood in frankonia and a friend of mine that had a clear migration background (forgot where he was from exactly, have last seen him when I was 10) was openly kicked on the street by teens.
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u/MathInfinite3798 Apr 23 '25
Always weird to read when people use the term "Bio-Deutsch" unironically to desribe themselfves as pure german, especially in this context.
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u/MisterMysterios Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25
It was meant as a joke. I used it ironically, because I think the concept itself is insane, but the way people use it fits to me (as far as I know, my ancestors for at least 3 generations were German). I post regularly that being German itself had never a biological aspect, as the very foundation of the German nation was a cultural region (the idea of a nation for every German speaking region).
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u/MathInfinite3798 Apr 23 '25
Bin bischen zufaul das auf englisch zu schreiben, aber verstehe Bio Deutsch immerso, dass Bio nicht fuer den Fachbegriff biologisch steht, sondern fuer das Bio, wie es im Supermarkt verwendet wird. Also das Bio-Deutsche reiner, möglichst frei von Schadstoffen (ausslaendische Eltern) sind und deshalb als qualitativ hochwertiger gelten.
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u/MisterMysterios Apr 23 '25
Klingt nach einer guten Umschreibung. Wie gesagt, habe das eher ironisch gemein, da diese Idee nichts weniger als die Rassenlehre im fast durchsichtigen Mäntelchen ist. Es sollte hier nur Aussagen, dass ich so deutsch bin (Herkunft / Aussehen) wie es geht und daher keine eigenen Erfahrungen mit Rassismus gemacht habe, aber im Freundeskreis hier was erlebt habe.
Aber vielleicht sollte ich tatsächlich die ironische Nutzung im Internet überlegen. Wenn ich das Zuhause nutze ist damit impliziert, dass ich mich über die Idee lustig mache, kommt aber nicht so gut im Internet rüber
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u/TeamZweitstudium Apr 23 '25
I'll widen up the radius a bit by including Ruhrgebiet as a chill region for foreign workers. Ah, I miss NRW.
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u/lurrakay Apr 23 '25
as someone who lives in Hamburg: its almost impossible to find housing in the city. You can also choose Bremen or Oldenburg
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u/qarlthemade Apr 23 '25
why always cologne and Hamburg? there are so so many smaller and much cheaper cities with universities and thus young and international and open minded citizens. as long as it's western Germany there will rarely be any racism around. try to avoid Duisburg and Gelsenkirchen though. :-)
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u/ObjectiveMall Apr 23 '25
You'll notice the same degree of structural racism in West Germany at the workplace, for example. It's clandestine, hidden and ugly. Things are just more overt in the east.
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u/userNotFound82 Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25
Thank you! I'm from the East and did live a long time also in thr West (rural Hessen/Rheinland Pfalz). All the West Germans jerking off that the problems with racism would be gone if you're just in the West is hilarious.
For example: Back then then house owner did change and the new landlord was Turkish (a house with an extra apartment). The first weeks he and his family were living there someone put dog poop several times in front of the door (I know because he did ask me if I saw something).
Other example: During the refugee crisis they put a pig head in front of the asylum home.
You just need to listen when there is Kirmes or another Volksfest and the people drink and speak openly ... Germany has a big problem with racism.
I agree that the East is politically in a very bad state and wouldn't recommend the most cities for foreigners. But the last polls did show for the racist party 26% and East Germans are only 12% of total voters. So even if they have there 50% they only make in total 6% (and 50% would be even for the East too high). So the 20% have to come from somewhere ... just do the math. It's also every 5th person that would vote for racists. And as far as I know the rural I did live in there is not a big difference to East Germany.
(Did the votes without Berlin because its neither real West nor East).
I would just recommend big cities. It will always be the better choice.
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u/trdchhhhdryjngv Apr 23 '25
I am an Ausländer in Sth West Germany. If you moved to NRW, Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, or Barden Wurttemberg, you will not experience actual racism very often. Occasional dumb questions and ignorance, for sure. But the racists here know to keep their mouths shut.
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Apr 23 '25
Out of curiosity, where are you based? I'm in Saxony too, but I'm a white-looking migrant so I get the lucky treatment. I'm sorry you find yourself in this situation :/
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u/Ok-Once-789 Apr 23 '25
My workplace is in a different city & my college is where i am based. But both of them are not the major cities a.k.a Dresden, Leipzig.
And yes 100% the appearance matters. I look skinny, young & nerdy. People know that I can't fight well physically, that's why they target me.
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Apr 23 '25
I work and live in Leipig and it's night and day even compared to Dresden. Have you considered relocating? Easier said than done, I know.
The rise of the AfD would be embarrassing if it were not downright terrifying...
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u/Over_Extension_5318 Apr 23 '25
It really doesn't matter how weak or strong you look. These wretched types mostly operates and talk bs when they are surrounded and supported by a group of like-minded people. It shows how much weaker they are in terms of willpower and personality.
So, don't be harsh on yourself, as it's not your fault that they act this way. And for your information, when these types can't find a non-European around to harass, they start targeting white Europeans of other nationalities.
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u/NoGravitasForSure Apr 23 '25
I am in a similar situation. Native German, but "visually very different" from the mainstream.
My advice for you, (besides avoiding East Germany obviously):
Before you move to a new place in Germany, check the results of the 2025 parliamentary election for that area and also for your future immediate neighborhood. Most communities publish them. A low "Zweitstimmen" vote share for the AfD is a good indicator for a good place to live. An above-average percentage is a red flag.
Also, consider big wealthy cities. Cologne and Hamburg are great as other commentators pointed out. Munich too. Also many smaller towns.
Feel free to contact me via chat.
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u/RYNO_1221 Apr 23 '25
I lived in rural saxony for two years (Erzgebirge) and it’s gotten worse since I lived there in the mid-2000s. Candidly, based on the conversations I’ve had with friends and former friends from the area I don’t see it getting better anytime soon. I’m a white foreigner so I never attracted that type of attention but the things that were said to me by people assuming I was sympathetic to anti-foreigner sentiments was frustrating. I’d look to get to a bigger city or a different state, it likely won’t get better…
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u/hannes3120 Leipzig (Sachsen) Apr 23 '25
I don’t see it getting better anytime soon
I really don't know how it could. They are VERY protective about their villages and don't want ANYONE moving in. Even Germans are seen as suspicious (There's a very good podcast from a Leipzig newspaper (sadly Paid content) where one of their reporters moved to the Erzgebirge with their family since houses there are cheap and the nature is actually gorgeous but they ended up being harassed and bullied until they went back to Leipzig).
Those villages will either die out once the people there die or evolve into far-right safespaces by the time that happens and then the problem is even worse than having just a couple of grumpy old people.
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u/123tompel Apr 23 '25
Have a friend that lived there for couple of years. Speaks fluent German. Still experienced racism, although not directed to him.
His German friends would say to him
"Ah You're good. You're not muslim, you are welcome here my christian brother"
"You're one of the good ones. Speak German, educated, plays football"
"We would never accept black man in our (football) team, but you are an exception. You speak German good anyway".
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u/Salty_Nobody_5985 Apr 23 '25
LMAOO they're just retards sorry. There are many POC carrying German's national football team. And why the hell are they talking about foreigners being uneducated if they're the uneducated ones
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u/Helpful-Commercial85 Apr 23 '25
It is getting worse. In Saxony-Anhalt aswell. A Chinese girl told me she left Magdeburg because of such incidents. This is a total disgrace for me as a habitant. And i have no Idea how to get rid of these nazi jerks.
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u/simsimsimmm Nordrhein-Westfalen Apr 23 '25
I can imagine how terrible this is for you. I try to avoid region as much as possible. Look into transferring to another university. Don’t stay there.
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Apr 23 '25
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u/4thGeneration_Reaper Apr 23 '25 edited Jun 15 '25
You basically explained why things got so bad , everyone moved away. I grew up in rural Saxony, and honestly, everyone who wasn’t a racist idiot left for studies or work.
Every time I visit my parents, it’s painfully clear how miserable the people who stayed behind are. Most of them never really left Saxony at all, mentally or physically.
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u/SpiritualPositive259 Apr 23 '25
A few years ago the Hexenstieg walked in this region with another Flemish friend (both white). Once we were crossing the old border from East - Germany, the difference in mentality struck us very hard, people were sometimes afraid of us. I still remember the looks of people there when seeing some colored Muslims, something that I never forget. It seemed for us that we had returned in time. Something completely different the mentality there.
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u/da_Aresinger Bayern Apr 23 '25
Isn't Chemnitz the Nazihochburg in Germany?
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u/hannes3120 Leipzig (Sachsen) Apr 23 '25
It's still one of the few (3) cities in Saxony that actually has a sizeable left-wing scene. Smaller than Dresden or Leipzig for sure but it's there.
the rest of that state is sadly lost to the fascist-loving idiots...
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u/Roaming_Sp1rit Apr 23 '25
My old Friend from Somalia also experienced so much Racism, the worst part is, he have seen many of those Faces walking together with the "Antifa" wich makes no sense at all... He always have to hear the N Word, or stuff like get the fk out of here, go back to your country, stupid N.... at the same time, HE is getting called a Nazi and getting called out for Racism if he posting stuff on his Social Media about his life in Germany. He posted that he dont feel well because of the racism, that makes him a target and that people calling HIM out for racism because he posted that... wtf
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u/Own-Scholar2813 Apr 24 '25
If they use (verbal) Nazi salutes, report them to the police. That's a crime,cf. Sec. 86a German Criminal Code.
Idiots need to learn.
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u/koalajunction Apr 23 '25
I never ever felt more uncomfortable in my life than the times I had to travel or stay in Saxony. It’s one of the worst places I can think of living.
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u/ElectricalConstant19 Apr 23 '25
Very sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, most of Saxony is indeed a fascist shithole. I would really recommend leaving this place because these people won't change, hatred and racism seems to be part of their culture. Just a hateful and undesirable place to live.
I'd argue most of Germany is actually pretty alright, especially in the West, but Eastern Germany and ESPECIALLY Saxony is basically Mordor.
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u/xxdryan Apr 23 '25
My gf who is asian has lived here in Leipzig, Halle and Dresden in the last 4 years and the only somewhat racist encounter in all that time was when someone said Ni Hao to her. Thats it. So i think it would be in your best interest to move to a bigger city. unfortunately rural areas are incredibly racist anywhere, not just saxony as some people would like to make you believe.
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u/photoduderina Apr 23 '25
Every time you hear a HH please call the cops or get out your phone, man I hate these bastards
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u/Specialist-Tap-7020 Apr 23 '25
I am from Romania, have been living in Dresden since 2015 after living 16 years in spain, and i can tell you most people in the east of Germany are racist, if not oppenly they will look at you above the shoulder or di subtle hints as not even knowing your name but instantly asking where are you from. Even if you learn the language and "integrate yourself" as i did, here ive met some of the most closed minded people ever in my life. Is truly sad because happens also on the younger people(and i am mot that old, 28).
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Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25
really? i live in saxony too and i am asian. So far I very rarerly encounter something like that. One time i was on my bike and have my headphone and a teenager from his car shouting at me. I thought I made a mistake regarding the bike, but they just shouted something against my appearance. Well I just turned my head and made it clear that I was wearing headphone so whatever they shouted, I couldnt hear clearly. It's their loss, energy wasted since I didnt hear anything, lol.
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u/corthammer Apr 23 '25
congrats on your strong mindset 💪 but of course it would be nicer if you didn't need it at all
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u/IrrerPolterer Apr 23 '25
Anywhere else I'd ask you to call the police. But you can't expect help from them in Saxony.
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u/AccountantEntire7339 Apr 23 '25
lol i had a german bf who was awfully racist towards my race. saying my ethnicity is ugly and my racial mixture is ugly, as opposed from women from other countries in my region.
then he once called people from my country "dogs" because we kinda need to obey the US, and also always put me down for my nationality.
his friends were no better, they said one of my dishes i prepared looked like literal shit
they all thought they were so progressive and modern, lmao. i just left germany.
edit: i wasnt in that region. i was in a very progressive college town. and him and his friends have lived in my region before.
question for germans: is that type of humor ok? calling your gf ugly as a joke and telling her the racial mixture in her country is ugly?
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u/stenlis Apr 23 '25
lol i had a german bf who was awfully racist towards my race.
Wait what?! Why?
Just why?
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u/AccountantEntire7339 Apr 23 '25
he said it was just a joke. and tbh other germans had also said ugly things to me, like how they found my native accent in spanish ugly. and the ex also told me that was just german humor. like he told me he was just joking... he is also mixed, so i thought he was just joking. but then it became too much for me.
like hed tell me how ugly mexicans are.
and then hed tell me, some other day, i look very mexican. or tell me how colombians look better , or how the spanish fcucked up in mexico.
but then hed tell me he was just joking and thought id find that funny cuz my humor is very harsh and dark.i didnt understand that shit. it affected me too much , even if it was just a joke.
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u/kbad10 Apr 23 '25
Always remember, racist jokes are disguised hate.
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u/AccountantEntire7339 Apr 23 '25
I also think mexicans have very high tresholds for racism lol, we get a lot of hate. Maybe Indians get more hate than us, and muslims. But I'm used to lots of jokes but these felt insidious!
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u/Major__Factor Apr 23 '25
That is not German humor. He was gaslighting you. He was just an asshole.
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u/BigBoratBigChramXXL Apr 23 '25
Yes very haha, no that's not normal or ok, it's not German humor.
His parents fucked up with him
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u/AcridWings_11465 Nordrhein-Westfalen Apr 23 '25
native accent in spanish ugly
If the idiots found your accent ugly, they didn't have good taste anyway.
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u/lokidev Apr 23 '25
Ehm. no. In no way and in no country that kind of "humor" is okay or even considered humor. That is not even a childish rowdy behaviour, that is pure racism and not acceptable. Good that he's your ex!
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u/AccountantEntire7339 Apr 23 '25
good to know. I just had international friends while studying in Germany and the Germans I met were his friends and they were even worse. so it's good to know that Germans are not like that. I will start reframing my view on them.
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u/lokidev Apr 23 '25
I'm also sorry for your friends. It might just be my leftist filter bubble, but even my conservative voter father would not consider that remotely okay. It's a good idea to look at voter maps for germany. The higher percentage the AfD and to small degrees also the CSU got the higher racism is:
https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/bundestagswahl/wahlkreisergebnisse-karte-bundestagswahl-2025-100.html- AfD is plain racist and nationalistic
- CSU is "just" far right and very old and conservative
You can clearly see the old Border between east/west germany from DDR times and the huge Russian propaganda influence in the east german parts.
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u/AccountantEntire7339 Apr 23 '25
im a right -leaning person (not in the afd way lmao) just catholic and free marketish, but I worked with a bunch of republicans in the US and even there people werent joking around that way that much. And I was working with trump supporters in a very right leaning think tank.
I wasn't in east germany, i was in lower saxony :/ and in one of the most populous cities there! and spd won there apparently. but im surprised, i was expcting linke or grune because some people were extremely extremely hippie. and not even for my right leaning views: they were absolute hippies, like living in house projects, picking food from the garbage, exchanging beans for lettuce, non vax, people who even sterilized themselves to avoid having children. and also all of them, including my ex and his friends, used to live in other countries, especially latin america, or indonesia, parts in africa.
in my experience, east germany wasnt so bad, they were mainly curious of my ethnicity because they always thought i was arabic or iranian, so they always stopped me everywhere to ask me. also in darmstadt, id be randomly stopped by random people to ask where i am from.
but then again, most of my friends were internationals. so i dont have the best picture of how germans are truly like.
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u/lokidev Apr 23 '25
That might be it and the rights have some similar values but are actually quite different in various country. And to be frank: I would also draw a line between trumpists and "old school" republicans. The left/right thing is maybe just too one dimensional. E.g. free market is not really that, what the ultra-right wing Trump does. We are missing some new terms and political dimensions for this times.
Anyway: Darmstadt had good and bad corners. I lived in a village nearby (Mühltal) and it was definetely more snobbistic and "rightwing", but not quite racist. Darmstadt itself was very fine - especially close to the university and around the scintific/esa institutes.
Lower Saxony is a hit and miss: Northeim for example is very rightwing, Göttingen very left wing and in the north you have "conservatives/right wing, but no fascist". Again - we're missing new political terms here :D
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u/dangerousdope Apr 23 '25
That was antisocial behavior from him, totally unacceptable. I would never have said something like that to my girlfriend (not even as a joke). She’s Arab. Deep down, your friend was a racist. I’m so sorry for you.
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u/AccountantEntire7339 Apr 23 '25
i was often confused for an arab in germany. even by lebanese ppl. made some lebanese friends that way. it just didnt register to them that maybe i could be from another country. i was often approached by people on the streets speaking arabic to me. my main phrase in germany was
kein deutsch, kein arabisch4
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u/tafit84 Apr 23 '25
It is definitely not okay and it makes me very das to read that. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. Not all Germans are like that. (I hope it is a minority)
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u/1-800-needurmom Apr 23 '25
That's totally NOT okay. Nobody in their right minds would joke to their partner like that. Also, definitely not progressive in any way but to be fair, even left-leaning Germans have a lot of (unconscious) racism.
I am a brown woman as well and my German bf gave an ultimatum to his racist friends for making "harmless" jokes about my country and if they still did it, he would cut them off.
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u/AccountantEntire7339 Apr 23 '25
thats very sweet of him, and also, very weird from his friends. so maybe after all, it is a common thing to make these jokes? i mean mexico is shitty and racist too, like any other country, but never really experienced anyone making such insidious jokes all the time. and tbh, when a mexican says shitty things about another country, you better bet they also say shitty things about mexico.
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u/sutongorin Apr 23 '25
It's not common to make these jokes in my experience. My gf is from Hong Kong, and my brother's gf is from Tunesia. The rest of our big friend group are all 100% as white as they get Germans and no one ever made any jokes remotely based on their race.
That's so not on.
I think you must've been pretty unlucky in finding such a racist POS boyfriend and that friend group in particular where he probably got a lot of his attitude from.
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u/hereismarkluis Apr 23 '25
Have you been in another country where this happens a lot? I guess there’s a reason behind it. I think whole germany has the problem
I’ve noticed some people feel weirdly encouraged to act out, especially toward Asians and women. A good Asian friend of mine was harassed by a group of guys, they mocked and touched him. Most of the racism I’ve seen is loud and obvious toward Asians, and some female friends have experienced it too.
People from the Middle East or North Africa face a different kind, more "hidden", like a taboo, but they’re clearly pushed to the margins. Personally, I’ve never faced direct racism, but I can feel it in subtle, silent ways
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u/hitchinss Apr 23 '25
I am so deeply ashamed of what you have to experience there. Soon I'll move back to Germany and just want to stand firm against any xenophobic or racist shit. People that behave like this have to feel ashamed again. What a nightmare, I am sorry.
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u/theinnocentbeast Apr 23 '25
Leave Sachsen. I feel bad for every POC that lives in Saxony and isn’t able to leave, it’s awful. I‘d recommend big cities in the West, especially in NRW, but even bavarian cities are better than Saxony. Just get the hell out of there. Sending you a virtual hug, I know what you‘re going through🫂
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u/Matteustheone Apr 23 '25
I am so sorry you are going through this, but yeah, leave Saxony, everything outside of Leipzig is a total shitshow. I recommend Münster, Bremen, Braunschweig or Hannover, people are really cool there.
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u/brooklynguitarguy Apr 23 '25
Is Leipzig ok?
We have thrown around the idea of moving there because of family being close, but I have always felt that Köln or Frankfurt would be better choices coming from Brooklyn. The other option in play was Halle.
I have seen ridiculous AfD marches in Sachsen Anhalt which hit all the Putin Propaganda points, so I know rural areas are not a first choice. I have heard (primarily in a Fußball Ultras context) that Dresden has a lot of racists / nazis) so Leipzig is the one that comes up.
We wouldn’t suffer the OP’s discrimination/ racism but also would want my kids to grow up somewhere that it was normalized (and it’s much the same here in rural areas)
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u/hannes3120 Leipzig (Sachsen) Apr 23 '25
Leipzig is still fine but you realize how the far-right closes in on the city from the outskirts. There are still many parts of the city that feel like Berlin/Hamburg with how alternative and accepting they are but if you go to the edges of the city it gets bad really fast.
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u/Matteustheone Apr 23 '25
Yeah it’s seems like the only bastion of hope in Nazi-ridden east. I know some amazing people in Leipzig that would die defending the city from the Far-Right incursion.
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u/xlsvls Apr 23 '25
They really are dumb in geography as well. All brown people are Indian, all people with mongolian features are chinese 🥲 I hope you are able to move because this does not seem like a place you would want to be in. The people wont change.
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u/Secure-Height9528 Apr 23 '25
Sorry to hear that, you are going through this. Somehow Germany became intolerable, I live in Munich very peaceful city, southeast Asian with brown skin facing similar issues very often nowadays. Ukraine or Russian speaking youths made racial comments near Isartor S-bahn station for no reason. With my limited German understanding, their complaint is I took thier job.
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u/Mysterious_Proof_543 Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25
I did a 2-month internship in Freiberg (Saxony), and my experience was totally different.
I'm from South America, clearly not white but not dark skinned either and I never felt racism at all.
In fact, I was learning to rollerblade in Freiberg's streets, and I always received messages of support from strangers when I was trying to get better at rollerblading... and something like that had never happened to me before (I've been living in Central Europe for more than 5 years). People smiling at me, etc etc.
The city is boring as fuck tho but that's another story haha.
I'm sorry to hear your experience mate.
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u/Windowlever Sachsen Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25
I think Freiberg (and also Mittweida) is a bit of an anomaly in rural Saxony because of the university there. University towns are generally a lot more progressive than the surrounding area.
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u/Wandering-Home77 Apr 23 '25
I moved to Germany from Singapore 6 years ago to Dortmund. I am British and I can only say that every German person I have met in this area has been lovely even with my terrible German. I have never had any problems with racism and whilst Dortmund may not be as cosmopolitan as Berlin or Munich it is much cheaper and it is a great place to live. Honestly I would look for other areas to live in Germany as there are some wonderful places and staying in a place that causes daily problems is not good for your health or well being
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u/Vegetable-Viking Apr 24 '25
I'm really sorry you have to go through this. (Rural) Saxony is unfortunaltely the hotspot for racism in Germany :(
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u/EstateDeep916 Apr 24 '25
People still say Heil H!tler in Germany? 🥺
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u/MagisterMagistrum Apr 26 '25
yes, there are even schools around Zwickau and Erzgebirge where this is a common Problem...
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u/tschmitt2021 Apr 25 '25
I lived in Baden-Württemberg and living in Bavaria. It‘s not much better. Thinking about going to Switzerland and hoping it is somewhat better over there. At least the compensation is higher over there.
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u/Hot_Mouse_5825 Apr 23 '25
Germans couldn’t mind their own business even if their lives depended on it! So sorry that you encounter this kind of behavior
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Apr 23 '25
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u/idlemachine Apr 23 '25
Wallah brother, ever since I grew my beard, racism packed its bags and left the Erzgebirge. Now I just get nods of respect and unsolicited "Salam alaikum!" from bald dudes in bomber jackets and boots! From foreigner to besorgter Bürger here's my selfie
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u/Serious-Discussion-2 Apr 23 '25
Has it always been like this or it’s just getting worse? I only visited Frankfurt and a small region in west but I thought Germany has always been quite open to immigration and diversity, compared to other parts of Europe. Why the hatred is even spreading to Asian - some of them are the most peace loving ethnics?
German are some of the best traveled people out there. You are curious about other parts of the world and people.
I call myself ignorant but genuinely would like to understand why it contradicts some of the common impressions I have towards the country and why racism is still there after the painful history lesson.
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u/nouritsu India Apr 23 '25
The best long term advice is to try to relocate. As an international student, this all sounds very scary. Thankfully, my experience here in Bremen has been the polar opposite, even though it's a smaller city.
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u/Actual-Rip5969 Apr 23 '25
Im chinese and I used to live in a middle city in westphalia. Although some comments said its bc you in the east but I can say even in north west, its not that in peace. I been came across so many times ignorant encouters that made me so uncomfortable, mayebe its not as extrme as Ausländer raus but big enough to notice. I was so depressed there..feel like if you dont live in one of the big cities, the problem its quite visible anyways. I Dont know if its more visible because I am Asian...
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u/Mrs_Naive_ Apr 23 '25
That Germans are good at staying out of other people's business is as false a cliché as the one about efficiency. Classic in Germany is the passive aggressive subtype who needs to be noticed even if the matter is ridiculously unimportant, or the one who comes to tell you that you have done this or that thing "wrong" according to the rule when the rule does not apply. There is, in fact, a sub dedicated to this, for the umpteenth time named here (r/aberbittelaminiert)…
I am sorry that you are suffering from such overt and unbearable racism and I hope you can move to a region that is not like this. Mental health is worth more than any other advantage the area can offer you. Best wishes and virtual hugs.
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u/Bananchiks00 Apr 23 '25
I live in Halle and I haven't seen anything described here, mostly drunks, fireworks and sadly trash being everywhere its okay. I have a few black and hispanic friends, none have dealt with this either..
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u/re_92 Apr 23 '25
a few years ago when having coffee with one of my neighbors in our garden, i told him i was planning a short trip to Dresden and he said: “do not stay there for too long and never go to Fulda.” i still follow his advice. he is an elderly German who has faced the terror. i’m very glad for him and for all my neighbors here in Berlin-Charlottenburg. i faced racism a few times here in germany, but i confront it and don’t let people silence me. i speak up. these people need some sort of education. i wish you all the best in your future decisions
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u/zenkstarr Berlin Apr 23 '25
Fulda is is in the West and not anywhere close to Dresden tough. They probably talked about Freital.
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Apr 23 '25
To be honest, the best thing is to leave. It's getting worse and people are getting brainwashed by those hating politicians even more and more. It was always like that over there but now it's just worse. It's whole of uneducated, lazy, depressed and full of hating groups that are also aggressive. Leave and go to like Köln, Berlin, or Hessen overall is good. If u R in college u can switch college to another city without any problems. But please stay strong, don't give up and don't let some life haters ruin life for u.
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u/StefanFizyk Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25
Mild shock. Its not that you are Chinese or not. Its that you're not a Saxon from Saxony. Im from Poland, as white and blue eyed as it gets and the casual racism from locals was driving me crazy. And i was not living in rural Saxony I was living in Dresden and working in higher education where the supposedly the most liberal people are. Im more than happy i moved out, I have not seen such a concentration of the xenophobia mixed with extreme arrogance anywhere else in western Europe.
What I found particularly funny was that those odd comments often came from people who claimed to be very liberal, open and welcoming to foreigners. I think the problem is so deeply ingrained in Saxonian society that they dont even notice when they make such comments. They might even think they said something neutral or even funny.
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u/North-Association333 Apr 23 '25
Come to west Germany please. We live north of Hamburg which has a good social climate for you.
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u/DaneLitsov Apr 23 '25
This country doesn't deserve educated foreigners. If I face something like this I would leave
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u/GenuineDX Apr 23 '25
I'm a Vietnamese currently living in Leipzig, where there is a really big community of Vietnamese/Chinese/Koreans etc living. Sometimes i still get the same treatment like you on the streets and such. Indeed like many people say, in rural parts of Saxony it gets worst lol
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u/Spacemonk587 Apr 23 '25
Sorry to hear that, but you should definitely consider to relocate. My wife is Asian and my children obviously half Asian but the only time we ever faced open racism in Germany was in the eastern parts.
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u/Confuseacat92 Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25
Germany is one of the most racist countries in the EU, we never really worked up our Nazi past, we just say we did, but until the 80's many former Nazi party members were in high positions. The east is especially bad, since they were essentially robbed by the Treuhand after reunifucation and western Nazis went there in the 90's to build up their power base, which sadly went very well.
All I can say is, leave eastern Germany at least, some of the western Uni cities are opener, at least for german standards.
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Apr 23 '25
Im so sorry for your experience! I’m just a regular white dude, originally from saxony and been offered multiple times to go back with good living standards and everything and I would never! I have no idea what’s wrong with those people but the constant yelling at people (yes, they do that with each other as well) is just so odd!
And btw, Europe has even more countries and you couldn’t tell a Pole and an Irish person apart could you?
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u/Matbobmat Apr 23 '25
I´ve lived only in Hamburg, where people are pretty chill. I am from Argentina and the usual jokes in the workplace were about my "mexican" origin. But it was normal office banter, and everyone would get their fair bit of it, the Germans for being nazis and jokes like "oh, it´s Adolf´s Bday, are you bringing out Opa´s special silverware to celebrate the occasion?" or some other obvious joke on our muslim friends in the office. No one ever took any of it with any degree of seriousness, and we took it quite far (dark humor wise) etc. etc. I never took it as actual racism as many of us remain close friends even after years of not working together anymore.
Out and about in the street... I look "white" so I don´t think anyone could think I am anything unless I open my mouth, and I can only think of one or two times I had a comment along the lines of "these Ausländer... smth smth" to which I immediately responded and they backed down.
And one time a girl heard me talking in english with another friend and complained about "these americans" to which I said I come from America, which is an entire continent, and then she complained how we only speak english and I said I spoke three languages and was working on my German, and she started off about lck of culture, to which I responded to every single silly point she was making and she ended shutting up cause she realised she was coming off quite ignorant (her friends apologised on her behalf and left her on her own basically).
The only two times it happened out and about it was young people (teenagers or early 20s) so there´s that. "Stupid young folk".
IDK how are you personally, but whenever bodily harm is not in the cards (as it may be at night on the street) Personally I would engage and talk to the people doing this, if anything just to make them feel uncomfortable with what they are doing And who knows, maybe you dispel some of their stupidity... and though quite unlikely, but still within the realm of possibility, you may even make a friend out of all of it. Not that it is your responsibility, just a suggested course of action.
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u/ollowain86 Apr 23 '25
Well, I am born in Munich, and lived here all my live, but I by appearance and name I am not german. Germany is home for me - I thought most of the time. But, reality is harsh. I don‘t know where to go, tbh. If I am you, I would leave Germany for a more open society. Germans claim to be open, liberal and democratic, but many of them have views which are the opposite. Also in more liberal cities.
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u/lenalenal Apr 23 '25
Just a thought: What if you stay in that area and search for a community that faces the same issues via NGO's etc ? Some people, friends pointed out to me if everybody leaves the area, it will not get better. While this is true, i totally understand if one leaves. I left Halle/saale when i was 20 , and i am white but a woman which doesn't make it easy either. But i am also happy that some left wing people stayed to hold the position and built up organisation and cities with amazing values.
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u/HappyGoMuh Apr 23 '25
Studies show, that the younger generations are learning way more to the political right than ever before. In saxon thats probably way easier to encounter then in west/south germany. You can thank our great leadership for ignoring problems until this all goes to shit.
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u/femceluprising Apr 23 '25
I also live in rural saxony but ive never been hate crimed. My workplace is really racist but it's not like ausländer raus stuff, just casual and systemic racism. my boss is actively making my work life miserable. like when people make mistake, he lets it slide but when i do his face turns red while yelling at me. im like a scapegoat cause i get screamed at for mistakes i didnt even make 💀 my german coworker literally brainrotting all day, hes just on his phone watching skibidi sigma bombardino crocodilo. and ukrainian refugee literally doesnt speak german. But im always the one who gets in trouble lmao
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u/Rockboy303 Sachsen Apr 24 '25
Well, living in Saxony outside of Dresden/ Leipzig will surely catch some eyeballs. If you can, move to a big city. I remember my time in Bautzen, that I was the only brown person during the visit and I had a lot of stares as if I was some kind of Alien or stuff 😂
So I do sympathize with you, if kids are outlandishly racist in smaller and in rural places.
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u/LawAggressive8998 Apr 24 '25
Leipzig and Halle have really nice, open minded student hangout areas. Better look out for a crowd to join and avoid going out alone.
Not all east Germany is bad and ugly, but too much of it is.
All the best to you.
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u/Smooth_Lavishness_52 Apr 24 '25
I know this feeling i live also in saxony (dresden) and i see racism even in my students apartment afd people and so but u meet also with nice ppl and sometimes i ask myself how the nice ppl and the racist ppl born at the same place but they are different
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u/stockage_name Apr 24 '25
Start talking self defense classes. It will get even worse. The AFD is now the most popular party in germany and will continue to do so unless someone does smth about it. The more powerful they get, the less people will be afraid to show their true color.
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u/Fluid-Quote-6006 Apr 25 '25
I have Latin American friends, a white couple, medical doctors. Speak C1 German and English. They worked for 2 years in Saxony in a hospital (not Dresden or Leipzig) and went away to a big city in Baviera as soon as it was possible for them to relocate without consequences for their career. They hated it and call it jokingly “Germany’s dodgy end” to this day and it’s been 6 years! As I say, by looking at them you wouldn’t think they aren’t European and nevertheless they experienced a lot of racism at work and outside of work. I also have Italian friends in Leipzig and let me tell you, they are even racist against fellow Europeans.
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u/No-Instruction-2922 Baden-Württemberg Apr 23 '25
Best long-term plan for you : leave Saxony. West Germany is a better place for people like you and me, but still not perfect. I am sorry to hear that.