For decades in Germany, but inseparable from Albanian language, culture and tradition

In the city of Augsburg, one of the regions of Germany, live over 300 thousand citizens, including 8 thousand Albanians from Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, etc.

In this city, the Albanian community has a very large number of activists, who together contribute to the preservation of their native language, culture, tradition, and even sports.

Mislim Berisha is one of these activists, who left Kosovo more than three decades ago, settling first in Sweden and then in Germany.

For the RTSH microphone, he tells how he found himself in these two places and his objectives, which have been and are two: Albanian language classes and youth.

For the Albanian language, the teacher, who teaches every letter and word of our dictionary, tells us through our microphone that the experience is unforgettable and that the number of her Albanian students has been increasing for a year.

But, in Germany, part of Albanian life there is also our culture.

Albanian children are very interested in traditional dances, which they enjoy, but also learn quite well.

Teacher Valjeta Kuqi, who practices traditional dances for broadcasting, says that the number of her students has increased and is aiming to grow more and more every day.

The coordinator of the Albanian school, Sami Kuqi, also emphasizes that the dance groups have participated in cultural parades, and the aim is to present them even more strongly to the local community and beyond in the future.

Not only that, but in the middle of the city of Augsburg, Albanians have also placed a statue of Saint Teresa, whose name they intend to have in the future, why not also bear the name of the University Health Clinic of this city.

But not only the native language, culture and traditions!

In Augsburg, part of the FC Alba association is also sports, for which all Albanians have come together and created sports teams, culminating in the creation of the Football Club and its promotion to the top category.

But how did Albanians come to Augsburg and how did they integrate?

Afërdita Berisha is now the mother of three sons, who left everything in Albania and joined her husband in Germany, where she initially found it difficult, but it was her husband who guided her to adapt there.

Mrs. Berisha recounts that she founded the first group of Albanian girls and women there, and she never forgot the goal of every Albanian mother: Teaching her children the Albanian language!

Just like Afërdita, Edita Kryeziu came from Peja and dedicated herself to the profession she so desired, aesthetics. She says that after completing her studies, she opened her own business, where she works with citizens of different nationalities, but she also has her own message for Albanian girls and women.

Not only Albanian girls and women, but also the local products of Albanians wherever they are, were strongly supported by the boys and men who settled in this city and, with much work, managed to become economically empowered.

Fitim Thaçi is one of them, who decided to open the Made in Albania supermarket chain.

He confesses that the citizens of Augsburg, regardless of nationality, greatly prefer Albanian products and that from the Germans, with whom he collaborates, he has learned work practices that have empowered him.

Made in Albania products were also brought to Germany through gastronomy.

Alfons Tanushi confesses that he comes from a large family, but that in Augsburg, together with his brothers, they opened the first Albanian restaurant.

He considers the first difficulties to be great, when the Germans knew little about Albanians.

Albanian tradition and culture have also been brought to Augsburg through printed products, where Asllan Qarri tells us how he decided to create a business from which to pass on Albanian tradition, culture, and history from generation to generation, even in a visual aspect.

He tells us that only through work have Germans understood the essential values ​​of Albanians.

Meanwhile, Skënder Qarri from Has, Albania, has one of the bars in the city center, where the flow of tourists is high and Albanian rakia or stuffed peppers are in massive demand.

The construction sector, especially old and indigenous buildings, has received the attention of Albanians, who, after being educated and certified by German institutions, are strongly contributing to their reconstruction or even the construction of new housing, service or other areas.

In addition to contributing to many sectors of Augsburg life, the Albanians there do not leave behind the political life of Albanians wherever they are.

Arsim Sokoli came to Germany as a political asylum seeker, so he thinks our governments should be more cooperative for the good of Albanians.

Regarding the new recognitions of the state of Kosovo, Sokoli says that through sports there can be more results, so he thinks that Albanian athletes should be strongly supported, considering that he considers them true ambassadors even in those countries that have not yet recognized Kosovo as a state.

Statistics show that around 700.000 Albanians live in Germany from all Albanian lands, of which over 610.000 are from Kosovo alone.