BERLIN — How to get along in Germany: Follow its laws, including showing respect for all religions, especially in the case of Jews, to which the country has an historical obligation. Don't be late. Do shake hands. And learn a few basic phrases, from "Cheers" to "I don't eat pork."
These are among the tips included in a new guidebook intended to help immigrants adapt to life in Germany.
With figures released Thursday showing that some 758,400 asylum seekers arrived in Germany in the first 10 months of the year — 181,000 in October alone — officials are facing the daunting task of trying to integrate people from vastly different cultures, who speak different languages and largely practice Islam, into this predominately Christian country.
The latest addition to the effort is a bright-blue 142-page book, Germany: First Information for Refugees, written in both German and Arabic and available for about $10 in bookstores and free online.
"We hope this book will serve as an initial contribution to integration, as many have called for," said a statement from Manuel Herder, whose publishing house brought out the book with financial support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, which is close to the chancellor's party, the Christian Democratic Union.
The chapters address the rule of law, the role of the police and cultural norms, especially those that could pose potential conflict for a largely Muslim refugee population. The book also provides a legal definition of who is considered a refugee in the eyes of the German law and what happens if this status is not granted.
The European Union is predicting that 3 million migrants could arrive in the 28-nation bloc by the end of next year, with the refugee emergency already proving a stern test of EU border and reception capacities.