“I am proud to be the first German soldier with Turkish origins to be employed on the ground of a united Germany”, once a young sergeant told me with sparkling eyes. I wonder if the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Erdogan, would have been happy to hear that. Probably not, since his primary call for Turkish Secondary Schools in Germany would have led to the opposite. His proposal was rather propaganda than aiming at the integration of Turks and Germans with Turkish origin. More than one million Turkish electors who live in Germany present a considerable voting block for Erdogan.
I doubt that his strategy will be successful, since it does not at all correspond with reality: Most Turks enjoy living in Germany - this has recently been proven by a survey of the Bertelsmann Foundation.
The argument for Turkish Secondary Schools brought forward by the Prime Minister: To learn German, Turkish children first need to have a good command of their mother tongue. I do not support this idea because exclusively Turkish speaking schools would severely endanger successful integration. The pupil’s daily life is taking place in Germany. The problem would be the result: numerous young people not feeling at home in Germany or in Turkey would have to be integrated into the job market. Therefore essential for all immigrants in Germany: German as a basic language, not only as a premise for a good education but as a link to the modern German society, as a road to participation.

I am not at all calling for assimilation. To the contrary: I stand up for integration, that is to say: cherish your roots but at the same time become a part of society. Not in a school where pupils learn in a foreign language but rather taking additional language courses. In this matter I completely agree with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel: we aim for bilingualism.
I know how important this is from my personal experience: I went to a German school in Germany; in addition I took Greek lessons. My daughters are proceeding in the same manner. What we therefore need are strategies how young Turks can foster their mother tongue, optimally in German-Turkish cooperation. Turkish literature, geography and culture - valuable contents that allow young people to stay linked to their home country. This is why we support Turkish as elective subject in schools as well as an expansion of available training facilities.
We need the Turks in Germany as well as the Germans with Turkish origins - not only as valuable members of our economy but also as mediators between the EU and the Islamic world. Apparently Erdogan now has a similar view: During the visit of Merkel in Turkey on 30 March 2010 he suddenly shared her opinion. The two heads of state agreed to found bilingual schools and universities. It was on the same day that the Turkish parliament voted for a German-Turkish university in Istanbul.
This is the right path. We need more European schools and universities - as an European answer to global challenges in education policy. Only then can pupils and students acquire outstanding language skills: German and Turkish as an essential premise for a successful integration. Because this is what the Turks really want in Germany. This is the Turkish-German reality. Erdogan should adapt to this reality including the views of my friend, the German-Turkish sergeant.

Jorgo Chatzimarkakis is a member of the European Parliament and President of the German-Hellenic trade association.