Essay Questions

What was the main reason for xenophobic attacks in Germany in the 1990s?

Germany's people experienced an internal crisis, geological phenomenal, and economic downfall, which led to panic. The situation led to the loss of jobs, inflation, and other related difficulties. As a result, the Germans directed their anger to foreigners thinking that they are the ones who were straining the country's resources. The Turkish families were the principal victims of the xenophobic attacks, and many lost their lives and properties.

Is Sascha Muchteschem facing an identity crisis?

Sascha is a Turkish man, but he does not openly pursue his identity questions because of the fear of xenophobic attacks. Sascha’s parents died when he was young and hiding from the attackers. Throughout his life, Sascha is trying to learn the ethnicity and originality of his parents. Since the Turkish people are not liked in Germany, Sascha continues to live a fake life pretending that he does not belong to his ethnicity. Sascha keeps himself busy reading his grandfather's journals to understand more about his race, even if he is a masked character struggling with an identity crisis.

Why is Sascha dying of inner guilt?

Sascha truly knows that he is Turkish, but he denies this fact to live like a German because he yearns for acceptance. According to Sascha, his identity is not defined by ethnicity but by the environment in which he lives. Therefore, Sascha behaves like an individual with German roots and kinship to embrace those around him. However, Sascha suffers from the inside because he knows that he is betraying his people by living a fake identity. Unfortunately, Sascha is slowly dying of inner guilt because he continues to fight with his identity crisis for the rest of his life.