A young mother, an engineer, and a musician – three lives that could hardly have been more different in Iran. They all faced the same questions: Leave? Or stay and risk everything under political pressure? Or continue living under repression? They decided to leave – for Germany.
By Dina Ehrhardt
Daniel (name changed by the editors): Escape instead of career
Daniel had two options: flee on foot – or pay €10,000 for an Italian visa and risk being arrested at the airport. In Iranian currency, that was a fortune. From the moment he realized he had to leave Iran, he had just eleven days to leave his entire life behind: his car, his instruments, his recording studio. He sold everything and decided to escape by plane. No one knew about Daniel's plans – except his mother, his sister, and his best friend. He had to leave them all behind.
After eleven moves in just six months, Daniel finally landed in Magdeburg. He stayed there for two years, learned German, and met the woman who would soon become his wife. As a musician, he moved on to Berlin – where the scene is vibrant enough for him to build something new. And that's exactly where he intends to stay for the time being. In Iran, he was previously signed to one of the country's five record labels – all closely intertwined with the Ayatollahs' Ministry of Culture and thus dependent on their cultural control of society.
For years, the now 33-year-old, who was known by his birth name "Adel*" for most of his life, had shared political content via his social media channels. "At some point, the pressure became enormous," he says. "My label called me daily and demanded that I stop posting political content." In the end, his contract was terminated, along with a demand for compensation payments.
But the real trigger for his escape was a rewritten version of a well-known children's song. He hadn't initially released the piece: "But in the end, this very song was used to blackmail me." Only after arriving in Italy did he upload the song himself, striking a chord: 500,000 views on the first day, an overwhelming response from Iran. His planned concert tour through his homeland never took place. His career there was over.
Amin: In the sights of the regime
“You have to completely submit to the regime,” Amin reports. “Life at home is very different from life in public – you can’t act freely.” It’s especially hard on women, says the 37-year-old electrical engineer, who has lived in Germany for four years, where he met his Ukrainian wife and started a family. “Here, women can decide for themselves how they dress and move about. In Iran, on the other hand, wearing a headscarf is mandatory.”
Amin, who was raised Muslim, distanced himself from Islam in 2015. His wife is Orthodox Christian. In April of this year, he and his son also converted to Orthodox Christianity. This wasn't without risk: "Anyone who doesn't belong to Islam becomes a target of the regime," he says.
He, too, knows the political pressure prevalent in Iran from personal experience. Because of his political activities, he has been repeatedly threatened and wanted. A security flag was placed on his national identity number, with far-reaching consequences: buying an apartment became impossible, as did finding a job in many cases. When he wanted to rent out his house, he was denied permission. Furthermore, the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that all assets of individuals who oppose it would be confiscated. He therefore believes his house could be seized.
His applications for government jobs or positions in government-related fields were unsuccessful. He was also denied the opportunity to start his own business and repeatedly encountered problems without understanding exactly why his applications were rejected. "I talked to the wrong people about my opinion of the Iranian regime," he summarizes.
Maryam: Life in constant contradiction
Maryam also recounts the repression she experienced in Iran. During her time there, she repeatedly took to the streets to protest against the regime. Several years ago, she fled to Germany. However, her family still lives in Iran and remains politically active. In January 2026, two of her cousins participated in nationwide protests and were seriously injured when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard opened fire on the crowd. Having narrowly escaped with their lives, the two young women died a gruesome death in their hospital beds – murdered by the Revolutionary Guard, who had infiltrated hospitals.
“What profoundly shaped me and my view of the world during my time in Iran was the constant contradiction between what I personally believed to be right and the societal constraints one had to submit to,” Maryam explains. “Especially as a woman, one was constantly confronted with restrictions in everyday life: be it through dress codes or limited personal freedoms.”
These experiences sharpened her understanding of justice, freedom, and self-determination from an early age. "At the same time, they also made me stronger inside, because I learned to question my own values and stand up for them." When Maryam was in high school, her mother decided to send her to Germany. "She hoped that I could lead a self-determined life here without constantly having to fight. That's how my journey to Germany began, and I started my studies here."
"Raised in a box"
“‘Death to America, death to Israel!’ – those were the defining slogans at school for over twelve years,” says Daniel. “I always had a problem with wishing death upon someone. And for a long time, I knew hardly anything about Israel; neither what the country is about, nor where it is even located.”
The effects are still noticeable today: “When I hear the word Israel, it initially triggers a strange feeling – a mixture of uncertainty and underlying fear.” It wasn't until he was 18, when Daniel began to travel, become more socially engaged, and read books, that his perspective changed. “I realized that the regime follows a rigid ideology and raised us in a box – without the possibility of looking left or right. I gradually came to understand this. And to this day, I'm working on feeling neutral when I hear the word Israel.”
"As a Christian, I stand with Israel."
At 21, Daniel Christ became a worship leader in an underground church, despite the constant danger. After a friend was arrested, he could no longer attend the meetings because it had become too dangerous. He lost contact with the congregation. Three years later, he traveled to Turkey for a potential music project and stayed for six months to apply for a US visa, having been invited by a local band. However, the US travel ban on Iranian citizens during Donald Trump's presidency thwarted his plans.
“I had to return to Iran with a broken heart.” In Turkey, he was finally able to live his faith freely. “At 23 or 24, I knew that as a Christian, I stood with Israel, the people of God.” On paper, however, he still had to remain a Muslim.
“In January, 40,000 people were killed in Iran within two days,” Amin reports. “I’m glad that Israel heard our cries for help.” However, he can’t discuss such matters with his family who remained in Iran over the phone. Everything is monitored, and even his own cousin serves in the regime’s military and could find out about them. No one in Iran will ever know about his baptism either.
Maryam struggles with the distance from her homeland. "When I think about what connects me to Iran, I could write a whole book," she says. Her family, her childhood, the culture – "everything I belong to and everything I love is there. My heart and mind are still connected to Iran because this country is so rich and beautiful." The current situation hits her all the harder: A few weeks ago, the street where her mother lives was bombed. Due to an internet blackout, she didn't hear from her for days. "The strain, this fear and helplessness, are indescribable."
She fundamentally rejects war: "We see that innocent people are also harmed in it, and we are very sorry about that." Nevertheless, she sees the attacks on the regime as "a last chance to empower the people and take back their future.".
“I wish this regime could be destroyed without war and missiles, but unfortunately that’s not possible.” Daniel emphasizes that Iran wasn’t a true democracy before the current regime either. Nevertheless, life was freer then than it is today. He considers the exiled son of the former Shah, Reza Pahlavi, suitable for a transitional phase; he believes Pahlavi could lead Iran to free elections. However, he remains cautious: “I lived for 30 years under a dictatorship and only three in a democracy – I still need to understand this better.” One thing is clear, though: “The Islamic regime must go!” And that’s why he supports Reza Pahlavi.
“I would fight for Germany”
Daniel is getting married in August. Perhaps his mother and sister will be able to enter Germany by then; this is one of Daniel's greatest hopes. Today he lives in Germany and is grateful for the protection he has received, even though it is difficult to re-establish himself as a musician. "Should Germany ever find itself in a situation where it has to defend itself, I would protect this country with my life. This country has given me protection, which is why I am ready to fight for Germany. The Iranian regime made me feel that Iran is not my home."
Daniel believes that attempts to negotiate with the regime from the European side are pointless: "If a lion enters your house and wants to eat your children, you can't talk to him, otherwise he'll eat you too!"
Amin also views the Western approach with concern and is skeptical of ceasefires: “Experience shows that the regime is dishonest and uses every opportunity to buy time and gather new strength. Even if an agreement is reached, it will be very fragile.” His hope rests primarily on Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many Iranians call “Bibi John” because he is “very dear to them and is considered the savior of the Iranian people.”.
Amin views US President Donald Trump more as a "businessman" who primarily wants to avoid the costs of war and resolve problems through deals whenever possible. However, Trump is also very popular among the Iranian people. According to Amin, without him, the Iranian people would never have a chance of defeating the mullah regime, which he considers ruthless.
"Don't let an ideology destroy your freedom."
“I want to make it clear that the Islamic Republic does not reflect the Iranian people,” emphasizes Maryam, who also grew up with the systematically instilled hostility towards the US and Israel. She believes that Israel and Iran could be best friends in the future and hopes to one day travel to Israel. And that Israelis will be allowed to travel to Iran.
Daniel also hopes to one day welcome Israelis to Iran, perhaps even to give a Persian concert in Israel. “We are brothers and sisters. Although we grew up with the idea that Israel was our enemy, I never felt that way. There is no problem – we are all human beings.”
Amin believes that, in the long term, Iran and Israel will grow closer, both in terms of tourism and economics: "Our relations go back 2,500 years to Cyrus the Great – no ideology can destroy that." And he appeals to young Germans: "I hope you value Germany and the freedoms, democracy, and human rights you have. Don't let any ideology destroy them, and don't let them be taken away from you."
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 145. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
