Kosovar-Albanian Gastarbeiter Family Histories with Vlorë Krug

Kosovar-Albanian Gastarbeiter Family Histories with Vlorë Krug

Whilst the Kosovar-Albanian diaspora in Germany makes up the largest group of Kosovars abroad, most scholarship and discourse remain concentrated on the 1990s migrants. In contrast to Turkish migrant workers, little attention has been given to Kosovar-Albanian guest workers and their families who migrated between the 1960s and the early 1980s. Their histories are often shelved under Yugoslav workers; however, Kosovar-Albanian migrant histories were also connoted to discrimination back home and the growing human rights abuses under the Yugoslav regime, thereby requiring particular attention.

The individuals who moved to Germany were recruited due to post-war labour shortages and the booming industry that factored in Wiederaufbau (reconstruction). The government expected recruited individuals to return, but many chose to stay. Despite living in Germany for almost five decades, these families and their children are still considered foreigners — designations that shape their relationship not only with Germany but also with Kosovo.

In this episode, we speak with Vlorë Krug, who grew up in Germany as a child of a guestworker family during a time when Albanian communities were rare, and whose experience provides a unique insight into Kosovar-Albanian guestworker lives in Germany.

Disclaimer: This episode is part of an effort to compile a digital diaspora archive documenting Kosovar-Albanian activism in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, which informs its focus and narrative.

Intro music: North-Albanian Instrumental. Breaker music: Cem Karaca, 'Es kamen Menschen an'.