New beginning in Biebergemünd: The path of a brave refugee
New beginning in Biebergemünd: The path of a brave refugee
Javad Latifzadeh is an Iranian refugee who has started a new life in Biebergemünd. Together with his wife Sara, he runs a studio for neon signs and social media services in a former pub bar that was previously known as "Zum Kinzigtal". Latifzadeh not only produces lettering from LED stiffs and illuminated logos, but also uses 3D printers to make shapes and brackets for its products. op-online.de reports that Latifzadeh in his homeland as a journalist and Video artist worked and opened openly against the regime, which led to his detention.
Latifzadeh spent over a decade in prison, including 18 months in solitary confinement. Although he was originally sentenced to a death penalty, this was ultimately converted into a long prison sentence. He was able to flee during an imprisonment after the death of his brother. He output himself as "Osman from Afghanistan" to initially get to Turkey, but was deported to the Afghan Kabul. He lived there for almost a year and finally fled over Pakistan, where he had to survive dangerous situations with robbers and the Taliban. In 2015 he arrived in Munich as a refugee and originally wanted to go to the USA, but then remained in Germany.
a new chapter in Biebergemünd
After he was initially accommodated in various initial receptionists, Latifzadeh found community accommodation in Biebergemünd in 2016. There he learned German and received valuable support from an older man from an Evangelical Church who helped him better live in the new environment. Initially, Latifzadeh worked for a wooden trading company and set up his workshop in the basement of the supportive man. The company bears the name "Ars Alba" (white art) in honor of his mentor.
After seven years of support, Latifzadeh was forced to look for their own apartment. During this time, his wife Sara was also able to come to Germany. In all of its entrepreneurial ambitions, Latifzadeh has recognized need for improvement in sales and customer acquisition. Nevertheless, he is optimistic and hopes for better times and a positive development of his ideas.
The importance of refugee stories
The stories of people like Latifzadeh are part of a larger context: the historical documentation of migration and escape. The online archive "Archive of Escape" plays a decisive role in this context. It was initiated by the journalist Carolin Emcke and offers a collection of oral history interviews that deal with the experiences of refugees in Germany. The aim of the project is to make the perspectives of migrants visible and to emphasize their contributions to society. The archive was released in October 2021 and has received positive feedback since then.
A diverse team of interviewers carried out the interviews to ensure broad diversity in terms of gender, origin and religious background. This collection is particularly relevant because it represents the perspective of people who fled to Germany between 1945 and 2016 and thus represents a valuable source of political and cultural education. The different materials are provided under an open license and are available as open Educational Resources (OER). This initiative illustrates how important it is to integrate and continue to promote the stories of migrants in German history.
In reporting on the challenges and achievements of people with escape history, as is the case with Latifzadeh, it becomes clear how diverse and enriching the social contributions of these people can be. This profit must continue to be used in society to promote integrative and respectful coexistence.
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