Collage, 1980s
In 1972, 19-year-old Fruttuoso Piccolo emigrated from Italy to Hannover as a “guest worker.” His brother, who had left their homeland six years earlier, returned to Italy specifically to accompany him on his journey. Fruttuoso worked here as a laborer until 1979. His experiences as an immigrant, with the German language and Germany as a host society, influenced his works in language, art, and literature. These are hybrid forms of poetry, literature, collages, art, and photography, often carrying political significance. Since the 1980s, Fruttuoso Piccolo has participated in many art projects and various exhibitions in Germany, sometimes as a leader. Today, he lives a reclusive life in Lower Saxony with his family. The economic upswing of post-war Germany led to a growing demand for labor. Consequently, Germany signed the first so-called “recruitment agreement” with Italy in December 1955. Such agreements were made with a total of seven other countries in the following years. The number of foreign workers increased significantly: while there were still 280,000 workers in 1960, by 1973, there were already 2.6 million foreign employees. In 1965, ten years after the first recruitment agreement, the German government passed the Foreigners Act, which stated that foreigners were to obtain a residence permit. Germany viewed foreign workers as “guest workers” and hoped they would return to their home countries – however, many of them stayed. They started families there or brought their family members to their new home. Thus, in 1973, a recruitment stop was instituted, leading to more restrictive immigration regulations – along with a continued refusal by the government to recognize Germany as an immigration country.
