Executive summary

• Author: Matthias Mahlmann
• Pages: 6-13

6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Introduction

Like many other countries, Germany enjoys a plural society. It has autochthonous

minorities, the Danish and the Sorbs, neither of which are very significant in number. The

Friesians of German nationality and the Sinti and Roma of German nationality are also

officially recognised as minorities. However, the most significant ethnic minority groups

are immigrants, including the so-called guest workers (Gastarbeiter) and their

descendants. Prior to the Nazi period, most immigration was by Polish people. Since 1945,

Turks, people from the former Yugoslavia, Italians and Greeks have formed the largest

groups of immigrants. In recent decades, specifically because of an increase in asylum

seekers and refugees, a heterogeneous ethnic community has formed in Germany. Due to

Germany’s efforts in the refugee crisis, the number of foreigners in Germany has risen by

1.9 million since 2015; as of 31 December 2018, there were about 10 915455 foreigners

in Germany, out of a total population of around 83 million.1 In 2018, the number of people

who immigrated to Germany exceeded the number of those who emigrated by roughly

400 000 people.2There are now about 745645people from Syria, 257 110 people from

Afghanistan and 247800 people from Iraq living in Germany.3 The overall number of

refugees in Germany is about 1 781750.4 Statistical data show that one in four people in

Germany had an immigration background in 2018.5

The largest religious groups in Germany are the Catholic Church with about 23 million

members and the Protestant churches with about 21 million members.6 About 28 % of the

population belongs to the Catholic Church and 25 % to the Protestant churches, meaning

that about 53 % of the total population belongs to the two main Christian denominations.

In 2015, around 1.7 million German citizens identified as Muslims, which is approximately

2 % of the population. The total number of Muslims (with or without citizenship) is about

4.7 million, which is approximately 5.4 % of the population.7About 96000 people or

0.11 % of the population are Jewish.8

Germany’s past isof particular relevance for the principle of equal treatment and anti-

discrimination, especially as far as race and ethnic origin are concerned, but also in respect

of religion and belief, sexual orientation and disability. There is a high degree of awareness

today among all sectors of society of the horrors of the Nazi period and the multifaceted

crimes against people of a particular religion, belief, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or

disability, among other characteristics. For many citizens of Germany, this past creates a

sense of responsibility for a strongly protected human rights culture. This sense of

responsibility manifests itself in many activities by civil society, in education and in the

actions of Germany’s political bodies.

1See the relevant and most recent data available of the Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt,

Destatis) at: https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Society-Environment/Population/Migration-

Integration/Tables/foreign-population-laender.html.

2Seewww.destatis.de/EN/Press/2019/07/PE19_271_12411.html. The rise of the population of foreigners

between 2014 and 2016 was caused mainly by migrants from Syria (519 700), Afghanistan (178 100) and

Iraq (138 500).

3See the relevant data of the Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt, Destatis) at:

www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Society-Environment/Population/Migration-Integration/Tables/foreigner-place-

of-birth.html.

4Seewww.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Migration-

Integration/Tabellen/schutzsuchende-zeitreihe-schutzstatus.html.

5Seehttps://www.destatis.de/EN/Press/2019/08/PE19_314_12511.html.

6Seewww.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-

Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Bevoelkerungsstand/Tabellen/bevoelkerung-religion.html.

7Seehttps://www.bmi.bund.de/DE/themen/heimat-integration/staat-und-religion/islam-in-

deutschland/islam-in-deutschland-node.html.

8Seehttps://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-

Umwelt/Bevoelkerung/Bevoelkerungsstand/Tabellen/bevoelkerung-religion.html.