Ode to Joy?
Polish Migration and the Illusion of Europe
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
Since Poland’s accession to the European Union, hundreds of thousands of people have turned their backs on their homeland. At the forefront of this emigration were young, intelligent, reasonably educated Poles. They initially tried their luck in the British Isles. Those who saw departure as a career opportunity have now shed that illusion. Advancement opportunities were limited. Skype and tablet computers hardly satisfy the longing for home, family, and friends. But the language abilities, intercultural skills, and contacts that were regarded as a kind of security on a successful return are hardly needed by anybody at home. It has proven difficult to emigrate from emigration.
(Osteuropa 11-12/2013, pp. 61–70)