I live in a small, quaint old town in north-west Germany, and every day I attend four hours of German and integration lessons. I attend because I am an immigrant: I am South African, and moved to Germany three months ago, along with my German husband and our children. These classes, which will take 700 hours to complete, are a requirement of my staying here for more than a year.

The course takes place at the local Volkshochschule (VHS – “the people’s high school”), a network of about 900 public adult education centres that offers a wide range of courses, including languages and vocational training. The schools are deeply rooted in Germany’s commitment to lifelong learning and social inclusion.

As of last month, however, Germany – having been seen in recent years as a humanitarian beacon for its track record in welcoming asylum seekers and refugees – is tightening its borders. The new policy has sent a clear message to those seeking refuge: you are no longer welcome here. It came against the backdrop of massive gains for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party (AfD) in state elections, and it is hard not to see the border clampdown as part of a strategy by chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic party (SPD) to stem the AfD’s momentum.

I’ve been shocked to hear people in my “liberal” social ambit talk about “the........

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