Challenges and difficulties of translation and interpreting in the migration and refugee crisis in Germany

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the role that interpreters and translators of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge [Bamf]) played during the 2015–2016 migration crisis in Germany along with the improvements made by the German Ministry of the Interior. To this end, we first investigated all the occasions when a refugee needs interpreting and translation services. We then present the requirements to be a Bamf interpreter/translator as well as their working conditions. In addition, we offer research into all the working tools that the German Government has made available to these interpreters/translators, so they can get a comprehensive training in the profession of community interpreter, one of the most demanding branches of interpreting and translation services. Finally, we have summarized the challenges that, in our opinion, Germany faces for the future in order to achieve a better quality in their interpretation and translation services.