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‘Going back is so foreign – I speak Polish with a German accent’

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‘Going back is so foreign – I speak Polish with a German accent’
Photo: Julia Lipkins

The Local’s series "The New Berliners" explores the lives of immigrants from around the world in Germany’s capital. For the seventh installment, Julia Lipkins spoke with Goska Soluch from Poland.

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Berlin has long been a magnet for outsiders, from provincial Prussians centuries ago to Brooklyn hipsters today. Strangers at first, these newcomers eventually make the city their own and reshape its social fabric.

This process continued even while Berlin was divided during the Cold War, but 20 years after reunification, the German capital has become an increasingly attractive destination for foreigners hoping to start a new life.

Julia Lipkins’ multimedia project for The Local lets these new Berliners tell their own stories.

Goska Soluch

Krapkowice, Poland

Click here for Goska Soluch’s story.

After growing up in a provincial town under communism, educator Goska Soluch was determined to spend her adulthood in a tolerant metropolis.

Soluch was raised in Krapkowice, which had “20,000 people, two factories and two churches.” She has lived in Germany for over 10 years and currently works as a freelance educator. She leads workshops for teachers and specializes in tolerance issues, such as combating racism and homophobia in schools.

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