We are Rastatt! Life stories from the baroque town

"I was a teacher in Croatia. In Germany, I initially found work in a company where only foreigners worked. That was very difficult for me because I wanted to learn German. So I walked around Rastatt and looked to see where there was a kindergarten. I just went into one and asked: Do you have a job for me?"

"Our parents raised us to be very open-minded. We don't look at what religion someone is or what country they come from. We see the person. That's very important, and I'm proud of that."

"If you don't know the language, then we feel more, we are more sensitive. You have to be careful not to take things too personally. I'm still working on this feeling today."

"When we were in Romania, we were the Germans. And when we were in Germany, they said: Oh, you're Romanians. That's the dilemma."

"Home is not just a place for me. For me, home is a feeling of trust, the memories you have and the experiences you gather."

Shakila Bahrami
"For me as a woman, Germany was very good. I can go to school now and would like to do an apprenticeship later. I want my children to learn in Germany too. And I hope we get the right document so that we can stay in Rastatt."

Ali Bahrami
"When I started working in the nursing home, a resident called me 'Taliban'. That hurt me terribly because we fled because of these things. Then I worked day after day and people got to know me, what kind of person I am. Now they accept me."

"I'll always be Italian, but after all these years, Rastatt is my home."

"As a refugee, I am a guest here, I have to be grateful and happy, but I also have to continue to cultivate my culture, nobody can take that away from me, that's clear."