civil society in Magdeburg and Bielefeld.

Journal of US-China Public Administration

Non-commercial and commercial organizations

Of Russian-Speaking migrants and

civil society in Magdeburg and Bielefeld.

In this article I am going to present current tendencies of developments in commercial and noncommercial organizations of Russian-speaking emigrants and organizations of the host society working with immigrants from the CIS countries in Bielefeld and Magdeburg. This theme worked out in my dissertation is an ethnographic research spent in two approximately equal in view of size and infrastructure cities.

I compared the general municipal infrastructures with ethnic, that is, causality and consequence of the ethnic infrastructures with regard to activities in organizations of the host society. Furthermore I analyzed the relevance of ethnic infrastructures for successful integration of migrant and native people.

First of all it is relevant to say that emigrants from the Commonwealth of Independent States are the second-large group of foreigners living in Germany. To this ethnic group belong approximately about 3, 5 million people. According to these figures it is possible to estimate the importance and interest of various public organizations and political circles for the successful integration of this group. The number of the Russian-speaking inhabitants in the investigated cities is also weighty: for example, in Bielefeld there live approximately 25, 000 immigrants from the CIS, what makes about 8% of the general population. In Magdeburg, formerly a part of East Germany, that ethnic group counts circa 5, 000 persons (2.5 % of the general population).

Non-commercial and commercial firms, which all have more or less positive functions for process of integration and are generally engaged in consulting work, can be subdivided into the following groups:

· non-governmental organizations

· parishes

· political organizations

· media outlets

· commercial firms

· sports and educational venues

· cultural centers

· consulting organizations

· leisure centers and

· health care facilities.

At present time there are nearby 130 commercial firms organized by Russian-speaking emigrants in Bielefeld, four non-governmental organizations, 17 parishes, four newspapers are issued. Development progress during the last years, despite of the financial crisis, is big enough. When in 2004 there existed about 60 enterprises of emigrants from the CIS countries – their number has doubled by 2009. Unfortunately, the quantity of NPOs, printed Russian press hasn't grown in Bielefeld so that it is impossible to tell about Mennonites and Baptist churches. Their number has also almost doubled. These organizations on their part undoubtedly have the big role in successful integration of the Russian-speaking migrants and in the public life of certain social strata.

In Magdeburg there exist about 30 enterprises of Russian-speaking migrants. The first reason for the less developed economy is the quantity of emigrants from the corresponding countries. On the other hand, the general economic development in the new bundeslaender is strongly differently from that in West Germany. That fact has a strong impact on a contingent of people living in the former GDR, on the general purchasing power of the population and on possibilities to do business.

Drawing the attention on non-profit organizations in Bielefeld, that is, on the above mentioned religious and public organizations, it is possible to name following spheres of their activities: cultural actions in form of reports, organization of trips and excursions, courses of Russian and German language, game activities for children, club meetings for adults and youth. The name of these NGOs are «The Russian-Ukrainian Society», «The Ground Society of Ethnic Germans», «The Dialogue», «The Jewish Cultural Center», there are also Mennonites, Baptists, a Charismatic church, a Pentecostal church and a Russian-Ukrainian Orthodox church.

In Magdeburg, despite more difficult economic, and accordingly social situation, exists a bigger quantity of noncommercial organizations based on the Russian-speaking emigrants living in this city. There are such organizations as " Meridian", " Ludwig Filipson", " Harmony", " Gala" and «Ethnic Germans in Saxony-Angalt». On the religious basis work two institutions: a Pentecostal church and an Orthodox church. These NGOs are basically visited by Ethnic Germans, Russian-speaking Jews, Russians and Ukrainians. The spectrum of conducting public work in Magdeburg and existing cooperations with other NGOs are as well more widely spread — the mentioned organizations are engaged in giving reports, educational and art courses, excursions, organizing of club evenings, round tables, cinema shows, there is a literary group, group for women, c hild's IQ development group, a musical studio and an chorus. Members of these clubs go on excursions, concerts, exhibitions, organize international festivals, holidays, help to alcohol- and drugs-addicts, carry out sports activities. All organizations in Bielefeld and Magdeburg offer individual consultations and support emigrants in difficult situations, in some NGOs work consultations opened few times a week. All noncommercial organizations have in the charter such purposes as charitable public work, improvement of understanding between various ethnic groups, struggle with racism and violence.

When we sum up all positive functions of noncommercial and commercial organizations based by emigrants from the CIS countries, it is possible to determine the following:

· support for migrants, recently arrived in Germany

· common and ethnic cultural socialization,

· multicultural socialization of different social classes,

· stabilization of personality,

· self-help,

· social control,

· lobbying,

· representation of distinct ethnic groups in the host society,

· work-market integration,

· pluralistic formation, consulting and leisure facilities,

· support of participation in the host society,

· enrichment of consumer market with new goods and services,

· contribution to the international connections,

· contribution to the better communication and work between ethnic NGOs and organizations of the host society,

· enrichment of communal infrastructures and

· NGOs as a balance by possible human figurations.

Concidering existing cooperations between described NGOs and communal integrative work it is necessary to notice that existing contacts are developed not well enough. Constant cooperations with the organizations of the host society and with NGOs of other ethnic groups are characteristic for three not religious NGOs in Magdeburg. In Bielefeld all not religious noncommercial organizations don't have developed and constant cooperations with German charitable organizations.

The German NPOs normally have projects for studying the German language, they help with acknowledgment of qualifications, have projects for women to support their integration into the labor market, they support children by helping them with their homework, have mentor programs, health improvement projects, educational excursions and trips are offered. In many of the mentioned organizations work Russian-speaking employees, who can answer questions how to write a correct summary, how to prepare for a job interview or other problems, appearing by living in the new society.

Concerning existing transnational contacts at noncommercial level — such work is also better developed in Magdeburg. These organizations cooperate with NGOs in Russia and Ukraine. Commercial firms in both cities represent some forms of joint venture, export and import of different goods from and to the CIS countries, the transport of services is less elaborated.

It is also important to notice that despite of considerable quantity of ethnic instances/ firms, the segregation isn't inherent for both cities. Basically all mentioned firms settle down in the city center, their least quantity can be observed in so-called «privileged» parts of the city, where richer social strata live.

Dr. Olga Lakizyuk.