Migration challenges: Bosnian worker faces empty home after 17 years in Germany

The personal and social challenges of long-term migration from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Germany are highlighted through the story of a man who spent 17 years working abroad to build a home near Mostar. Having invested approximately 190,000 euros (372,000 KM) into the property, he faced the reality that his family, having grown up in Germany, was unwilling to relocate.

One account details a man who returned to find his children settled elsewhere and his wife deceased, leaving him alone in the house he built. Another report features an anonymous individual seeking advice after realizing his savings were invested in a home that his wife and children may never inhabit.

Statistical data from Destatis indicates that migration between the two nations is not one-way. In 2025, 10,474 people moved from Germany to Bosnia and Herzegovina, while 13,707 people moved from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Germany, resulting in a net migration gain of 3,233 people for Germany.