After spending a total of 44 years in Germany, journalist and court interpreter Erdin Kadunić made a major decision with his wife and three children: the family left Düsseldorf and returned to Sarajevo. For Kadunić, the move was not a rejection of Germany but a decision to return to the country and people he feels connected to. He acknowledged that life in Bosnia and Herzegovina is not perfect and that many challenges remain, but said the sense of belonging and closeness he found after returning made the decision worthwhile.
One of the biggest differences he noticed was the way people interact with one another. Kadunić said that everyday warmth, empathy and a stronger sense of community are things he missed while living in Germany. He particularly noticed the difference through his children, who received a warm welcome from other parents after starting school in Sarajevo. Parents communicated with the family through school groups and showed genuine happiness about their arrival, something Kadunić said he had not experienced to the same extent in Germany.
The return was not his first attempt to build a life in Sarajevo. Between 2004 and 2012, he had already lived in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but eventually returned to Germany because he was frustrated by the slow pace of change. Today, however, he sees improvements in infrastructure, roads, streets and certain public services, including the increasing use of electronic services. At the same time, he believes Germany has changed considerably, pointing to problems such as delayed trains, infrastructure difficulties and longer waiting times for some medical appointments. He also believes Germany’s economic transformation and the growing influence of the right wing have made some people with roots in Bosnia and Herzegovina reconsider where they want to raise their families.
Kadunić does not believe Germany is heading toward collapse, but he expects major changes in its economy and society. He pointed to pressure on major industries, higher energy costs and the need for reforms in areas such as pensions, social security, employment and migration. For people originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, he believes these developments may increasingly become part of the decision about whether to remain abroad or return home. His own experience shows that the choice is not always based purely on salaries or economic opportunities. For his family, the feeling of belonging, human connection and empathy ultimately became just as important as the material advantages they had built in Germany.
