Studying those Staying Behind – a New Perspective in Migration History

Abstract

Not only migrants are changed by their experiences; those left behind are also affected in significant ways. Their changes and experiences when their relatives and friends chose to migrate had till now not been the topic of much historical research. Scholars of historical migration have mostly focused on one half of the story: on the ways of the migrants. Migration means always separation and change; but also those staying behind and the structures at home will change by the departure of the former compatriots. Those staying behind have to say goodbye and to accept the realities of separation. Social and economic positions are vacant after the leave of the migrants, they have to be filled again and the whole social configuration has to be newly arranged. As an example for the broad topic, the article focuses on those left behind by emigrants from Germany during the Nazi period.