Blind man’s buff: Losing contact while coping with the arrival situation

Abstract

What happens when newly arrived EU citizens lose their point of contact in Germany? Most migrants have a trusted person in the destination area, for example a relative or friends. These people usually help immigrants register, find housing or jobs and offer them a certain degree of security. This essay is about a case in which this contact point is lost early on. A relative withdrew her support and the family had to cope with the arrival situation on their own. The article analyses this individual case against the backdrop of migrating from Romania to Germany. It refers to the legal situation of newly arrived EU citizens in Germany and describes the problems immigrants face in exercising their rights. Adding to migration theory, the article once more emphasises the crucial importance of social capital for the integration process.