Mohammed (24) comes from a village near Aleppo. At the age of 14, the Kurd fled to Europe. Mohammed is happy that he is on the right track. In ten years, he wants to have a company, be married and own a flat or a house.

Place of birth
Farwaniya, Kuwait

Education/occupation
→ Motor vehicle technician

I like working with tools, I like it when my hands are greasy and dirty. Then I know I've been working. My name is Mohammed, but people call me by my surname, Mkdad, because there are so many Mohammeds. I'm a motor vehicle technician. That was my dream job even as a child. I can't imagine doing any other job.

     I started my apprenticeship in Vorarlberg in 2018. During the coronavirus pandemic, I moved to Vienna. After a year, I found a company where I could finish my apprenticeship. I have been working at Porsche Donaustadt for a year and a half. It suits me well.

     I have been in Austria for ten years. I don't have many memories of the time before that in Syria, except that there was war and that I had to leave.

     I am Kurdish. Life for Kurds in Syria used to be difficult. They were not allowed to express their opinions, and it was forbidden to speak Kurdish. Over time, we were slowly accepted. We fought for our freedom.

»The next day I left. I didn't know what would happen.«

I was 14 when my father said to my mother one day: ‘Mohammed has to leave here so that he can have a future.’ We were neutral, we didn't want war, we didn't want weapons. But we weren't left in peace. The next day, I left. I didn't know what was going to happen. I knew nothing about Austria. And now I'm here. The escape took 25 days.

     I set off together with my younger cousin. We walked most of the way. There were lots of people on the move at the same time and we always followed these people. We travelled from Turkey to Greece together with about 50 people in a small boat.

     When we crossed the Hungarian-Austrian border, the police caught us and took us away. We didn't know what would happen. The people in the group said, ‘Come with us to Germany.’ But I was tired. I said, ‘Enough, I can't go on. I'm staying, no matter what happens.’ That was in July 2015. I am really grateful that I stayed in Austria.

»I have met many people from other countries and cultures here and made new friends.«

At first, I lived in a Caritas shelter in Vienna. In 2019, my parents came to Austria. Because my father did not want to live in the city, we moved to Vorarlberg together. After two years, I returned to Vienna.

     When I came to Austria, there were many people who helped refugees. I learned German straight away and was able to go to school. It wasn't that difficult for me to settle in.

     In September 2015, Alois and Karina invited us to play football together. That was the starting point for Kicken ohne Grenzen. In 2017, I went to Berlin with the club. It was really nice. We did something every day. We had fun. When I came back to Vienna from Vorarlberg in 2020, I also returned to Kicken ohne Grenzen. I met lots of people from other countries and cultures here and made new friends.

     I recently applied for Austrian citizenship. Hopefully I'll get a positive response. I would like to become Austrian. I never want to go back to Syria. In Austria, I learned the language, completed an apprenticeship, I have a job, an apartment, a girlfriend, friends and my parents are here. I like it here. I am happy.

»I learned the language in Austria, completed my education, I have a job, a flat, a girlfriend, friends, and my parents are there.«

Fotos: Karo Pernegger
Interviews: Birgit Riezinger

Diese Geschichten wurden im Rahmen des 10-jährigen Jubiläums von Breaking Grounds protokolliert.