Germany has translated 20 articles of its constitution into Arabic to help migrants integrate. Chancellor Angela Merkel says the arrival of hundreds of thousands of new residents marks a watershed in German politics.
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Adopted in 1949, Germany's "Basic Law" sets out the country's defining postwar principles. As the country prepares to take in up to 800,000 people this year, officials have expressed optimism that an Arabic translation of selected sections could help them assimilate.
"I am convinced that the first 20 articles of our constitution are what shape our culture," Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told the mass-circulation daily Bild, adding that Germany had printed 10,000 copies for distribution among refugees at registration centers. "What is important for our culture is that the principles of our democratic society apply to everyone," he said.
10 things to know when you come to Germany
When you first come to Germany as a refugee, there are a number of things that you need to remember. Not everything is as clear as it may seem: There are laws and social norms that need to be adhered to.
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Respect differences
German society is built on respectfulness and tolerance. Everyone is allowed to pursue their own religious, sexual and other preferences, provided they don't infringe anyone else's rights in the process. Homosexuals are respected just as people of different faiths - or indeed of no religious faith at all.
Image: Fotolia/Sebastian Krüger
Respect women's rights
In Germany, women have the same rights as men. Often they are just as successful as men in their careers. They can dress however they please - be that reserved or a little more racy. Nobody will take offense at this. Violence against women is forbidden. This applies just the same in marriage.
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No work without a work permit
In contrast to some countries in the Middle East and Africa, working without a work permit in Germany is against the law. If someone is caught working in this situation they can be fined or even imprisoned.
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Taxes have to be paid
The tax system in Germany is pretty complicated. But still, avoiding paying tax here is illegal. According to the law, it is considered a "theft against the community." Paying taxes is an obligation, just like voting is a right. Foreigners that work in Germany have to pay taxes.
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No violence towards children
Hitting children in Germany is a criminal offense. Corporal punishment is not accepted as a way of raising kids, neither at home nor at school. In fact, German law states: "Children have a right to a violence-free upbringing. Physical and psychological punishment and other degrading treatment is forbidden."
Image: DW/R. Azizi
Look after the environment
Protecting the environment is important to most Germans. A lot of money has been invested in cleaning up rivers and improving air quality. Recycling's important, too: garbage is carefully separated before being thrown out. Paper, plastics, food refuse and other unrecyclable garbage should all go in different, color-coded bins. Keep chucking plastic in the bin for paper, and someone may complain.
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Kids have to go to school
School-age children can't just stay at home, or go to work. When a child reaches six years of age, he or she needs to be registered at a school and start heading to classes. Schooling generally takes at least 10 years from then on in Germany. An exemption from going to school on religious grounds is not allowed.
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Not too loud!
Even if you are catching up with friends that you haven't seen for a long time, being too loud in your apartment annoys your neighbors. This is especially an issue at night time in Germany. Generally, you have to keep pretty quiet from 10pm in the evening to 6am the next morning.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Pleul
Supermarket prices are set
Negotiating a lower price is something that some people enjoy and is part of daily life in many countries. But this isn't the way things are done in Germany, neither in supermarkets, nor in most shops. You can always look online for bargains!
Image: Fotolia/G. Sanders
Keep your distance
In many cultures, hugging, kissing or giving gifts to local kids in the neighborhood is normal. In Germany, it all depends on what the parents of the kids have allowed. Children shouldn't be approached in this manner, no matter how friendly they are to strangers.
Image: picture alliance/Bildagentur-online
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In a nod to common anxieties, Gabriel said refugees would have to accept secular governance and the declared right to freely express one's sexual identity. Acknowledging another worry commonly expressed by politicians and press, Gabriel also said that Germany officially did not tolerate anti-Semitism.
"People who come here must not only learn the German language, but also learn the rules of the game of living together," said Gabriel, who also serves as party boss for the centrist Social Democrats.
'It touches us'
Angela Merkel has said the arrival of new residents could prove a transformative moment for Germany. Since the chancellor decided in early September to open the country's borders to thousands of people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia - though primarily Syrians fleeing the country's four-year civil war - Merkel has faced considerable backlash from members of her conservative parliamentary bloc. In the face of that, Germany has temporarily reimposed checks at frontiers and airports in the nominally border-free Schengen Zone.
"If we think about the refugees, we realize that what happens in Syria, in Afghanistan no longer takes place somewhere far away, but basically at our front door," Merkel said on Wednesday. "It touches us."
So far this year, Germany has taken in about 500,000 applicants for asylum, putting them up in flats, army barracks, sports halls and tent cities. Mobs have attacked more than 400 homes for asylum applicants this year alone, even as Germany strives to present a "welcoming culture" to new arrivals.
"It will change our politics radically and shift the emphasis once more," Merkel said on Wednesday. "Every age brings its own challenges."
