Leipzigers urge mayor to stop Mongolian musician’s deportation

Leipzigers urge mayor to stop Mongolian musician’s deportation

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norman lebrecht

September 11, 2017

More than 2,000 people have signed a petition urging the authorities to allow Zhebo, a composer and teacher from Mongolia, to remain in Leipzig, where he has lived and taught for six years.

Zhebo, 33, faces repatriation at the end of the year. His lifelong dream is to teach where Bach taught.

You can sign the petition here.

Comments

  • Alpha Protagonist says:

    He should immediately become a Muslim and claim “Islamophobia”, thus moving at least two rungs up the identity politics ladder. Success guaranteed.

  • Ellingtonia says:

    Why hasn’t he applied for permanent residence or nationality in the six years he has been there? Or if he was not eligible to, and would have to return home, why the surprise?

    • Max Grimm says:

      He already applied for a Niederlassungserlaubnis (permanent residency) and it was turned down.
      “Why the surprise”? Largely because he fulfills the necessary requirements and has so for years – he has held a Residence permit for more than 5 years, he has the means to support himself without public funds, he has paid the compulsory or voluntary contributions to statutory pension insurance for well over 60 months, he is entitled to exercise gainful employment and has the permits to do so, he has a command of the German language and sufficient knowledge of the legal and social system and way of life in Germany and he has adequate living space for himself and a potential future family.

      In Germany, approval/denial of permanent residency applications are individually taken decisions and final discretion lies with the case worker reviewing the respective application. In this case, the responsible official denied his residency request because he/she felt that a self-employed composer and music teacher poses a financial risk to the state (read, in the officials estimation, he is apparently bound to finish by drawing on the dole).

  • Ellingtonia says:

    “he/she felt that a self-employed composer and music teacher poses a financial risk to the state (read, in the officials estimation, he is apparently bound to finish by drawing on the dole)”…………a value and economic judgement which does not seem unreasonable, but no doubt you are in a better position to make such a judgement as against a government official whose professional job is to make such difficult, but necessary decisions?
    Its not as though we are talking about the next Christian Thielman or Maris Jansons!

    • Max Grimm says:

      More reading and less snarky reading into, Ellingtonia.
      “Financial risk” is a broad term and can mean many things and does not necessarily translate into ‘the dole’, hence the addition of the the Ausländerbehörde’s position on the matter and not, as you presume because I think myself “in a better position to make such a judgement as against a government official whose professional job is to make such difficult, but necessary decisions”.

      • Ellingtonia says:

        If he ends up not being able to support himself financially then he becomes a burden on the state in terms of basic financial support, possible housing, reliance on the health care system, and does he have a family which could compound the potential problem. How about joining us in the real world for once and stepping out of your “arty / intellectual” bubble.

        • Max Grimm says:

          Are you purposely being obtuse or did you accidentally jump to misconceived conclusions?
          I know that if “he ends up not being able to support himself financially then he becomes a burden on the state in terms of basic financial support, possible housing, reliance on the health care system” and I have no reason to object to or disagree with that assessment.
          My first post is not an opinion piece, but in reference to your two questions – “Why hasn’t he applied for permanent residence or nationality in the six years he has been there? Or if he was not eligible to, and would have to return home, why the surprise?” – and is a rough summary of the Leipziger Volkszeitung article, which Norman links to.
          So, if you want to recommend to anyone to vacate bubbles in this case, you may wish to direct your comments to Matthias Puppe of the Leipziger Volkszeitung or the petition initiator, Matthias Schneiderbanger.

  • Suzanne says:

    Zhebo has explained that his earnings are on the low side but sufficient for him. 20 years ago I was granted the same permanent residency status in Germany and had no problems – with a slightly higher salary and a Western passport. I’ve signed the petition and hope the Leipzig authorities will reverse their decision.

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