Cubans in Germany Grapple with Uncertainty Over Cuba's Future

Cubans who came to former East Germany to train, work, and study now face an uncertain future as US threats and worsening conditions in Cuba loom. A few thousand people of Cuban origin live in Germany today, and they worry about the fate of their homeland.

Many Cubans arrived in East Germany during the Cold War era, taking advantage of educational and employment opportunities that the communist regime offered. They built lives and families in the former East Germany, and now find themselves caught between their adopted home and the uncertain future of their country of origin.

As US President Donald Trump threatens to undo the diplomatic thaw between the US and Cuba, and economic and political conditions in Cuba continue to deteriorate, the Cuban Germans are torn between hope and fear. They worry about the potential for increased isolation, repression, and hardship for their families and friends back in Cuba.