European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 15, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                With the encouragement and Tutelage of some germans who Are still dear to him he landed successively better jobs. He became an electrician at a Mercedes Benz factory in Dusseldorf and later worked for a local engineering company. Kuru eventually saved up enough capital to Start his current business. Renan Demirkan was a nobody to germans when she arrived with her parents in 1961. Now the turkish immigrant is recognized nearly wherever she goes. The 37-year-old Demirkan is a novelist a leading intellectual a voice for Germany s women s movement and an actress in German movies plays and television dramas. Demirkan s father was t invited to West Germany so he had to find work All by himself. But that gave Renan an advantage. Since the family did t live in segregated housing she was forced to mingle with germans. Her assimilation into German culture was relatively painless. Demirkan Learned German quickly and now Speaks it better than her native Tongue. Germany is like a Mother to me. I m somehow closer to it. Turkey is like an aunt. I have no friends or big connections there she said. In 1991, Demirkan published a Best Selling novel called Black Tea with three cubes of sugar. The Book was acclaimed As a landmark contribution toward helping germans understand the turks who live among them. The novel is autobiographical. The main character is torn Between her turkish heritage and an attraction to Western ways. These Days Demirkan is intensively involved in campaigns to Wake up germans to the dangers of xenophobia. Kemal Sahin is known As the richest Turk in Germany., Sahin 37, reigns Over a clothing making kingdom called Schindler holding. His Headquarters in Aachen is built like a Castle Complete with battlements. His Royal coach a Jet Black Jaguar awaits in the parking lot. Sahin s company makes cute outfits for German babies Chic suits for their moms and casual clothing for the whole family. His wares Are sold in department stores across Germany. ,. _ Sahin says germans and turkish immigrants should spend More time together. I Don t mean we should Start sending our children to churches instead of mosques Kuru says. But we must integrate into most aspects of this  Sahin offers this advice to germans they must accept that nearly 2 million turks who look different from them live Here. The Days of racial purity Are  import Export merchant Huseyin Kuru holds a crate of Lemons outside his Dusseldorf store. Into tolerance Strong methods fight old hatreds by Frank Bajak the associated press he lights come on and the Berlin educators and social workers Start arguing Over whether the american Shock treatment method for combating bigotry they have just seen on film is right for Germany. I think this would just be too hard on the kids says one teacher. But others Don t mind subjecting 8 and 9-year-Olds, As seen in the film to ridicule and irrational putdown if it teaches them tolerance. At the invitation of Chancellor Helmut Kohl and other German leaders the anti defamation league of b Nai b Rith has brought from new York a sensitivity training program it says 101,000 teachers and 10 million students have experienced in the United states. The jewish group s workshops with High school students teachers social workers and police officers recently were a one shot Deal. But the City official sponsoring them foreigner affairs commissioner Barbara John Hopes the world of difference program will take roof in this nation plagued since unification by anti foreigner attacks. Seeds have already been planted in the Eastern City of Rostock where citizens cheered As Neo nazi youths set fire to a refugee shelter last year that housed mostly romanian gypsies. Plans Call for the program to be launched before year s end. Teacher training has already begun in Rostock s Western sister City of Bremen. John said during a session at a cultural Center in a Berlin District brimming with turks and other foreigners that germans must better confront what she termed their elitist  and if that Means painful personal examinations of what led the germans under nazism to murder 10 million people it will be very Good if it brings out such feelings John said in an interview especially for former East germans Many of whom Are socially rudderless after More than four decades of isolation and authoritarian Rule. The foreigners Aren t the problem. It is the Lack of tolerance said Kristina Kuehler one of two Young demonstrators against the government s policy on foreigners scuffle with police during a rally in Rostock. Below protesters March against racism after the attack on the Asylum shelter. Teachers setting up the program in Rostock. Kids get in trouble and join Neo nazi groups because they have so few opportunities to express  the world of difference Institute director Caryl Stern la Rosa said the program costs about $100,000 a year per City and that All projects in Germany will be financed by German Public and private funds. The week s sessions were run almost exclusively by americans but the intention is that germans take Over she said. The program attacks racism intolerance anti semitism and ethnic violence by helping people of All Ages identify their prejudices. The workshop s Centrepiece was the film Eye of the beholder which starts out chronicling an Iowa schoolteacher s Experiment in Bias with her elementary. School class. Blue eyed kids Are separated from Brown eyed kids and the teacher belittles and deprives first one group then the other. The same teacher later puts some White new York adults through the same ordeal showering a separate group of african americans and hispanics with Praise and privilege while inflicting denial and ridicule on the Whites. The soul searching anger and frustration she saw these americans undergo was too much for Renata Eichhorn a Middle aged East Berlin sociologist. I would t want to personally go through such a destabilizing experience she said. This is not necessarily Good for  she and John the commissioner disagreed at length in a Small group discussion. That just further persuaded John that All germans need sensitivity training if easterners and westerners Are to Deal with jealousies inferiority complexes and misconceptions and truly unite As one people. Monday november is 1993 the stars and stripes 27