In the increasingly heated debate over migration, the voices of those directly affected are being drowned out. Yet for people without valid documents, every aspect of daily life is a danger. Any contact with the authorities could mean deportation. Hundreds of thousands of people live in Germany without documents and thus without legal residency status. We don’t see them, because only those who remain unseen can stay.
In Shadow Lives, four undocumented people from very different backgrounds share their stories of life in Germany: Brienne, a transgender woman from Thailand, courageously fought her way out of forced prostitution—and sent her boss to prison. On her odyssey through Europe, Dâu experienced exploitation within the Vietnamese community, but also great solidarity. Charlotte from Cameroon nearly gave birth to her child on the streets of Mainz because she couldn’t see a doctor. And Nasir, born in Somalia, is still fighting for legal status after 25 years in Germany, even though he has long since called the Palatinate home.
"Shadow Lives" is the result of five years of intensive research, dozens of interviews, and a collaborative effort between the four protagonists and the two authors to craft their stories. (Publisher)