Topic 4 Germany

Module 2 Existing policies and best practices Unit 2 National frameworks Topic 4 Germany

Germany is a country where people with many different religions live.

Christian religious community: 64,4 % (Catholics: 28,6 %, Protestants: 25,8 %, Orthodox Christians: 2 %, other Christians: 8 %)
Atheists and agnostics: 27 %
Muslims: 3 %
Buddhists: 1 %
Jews, Hindus and Sikhs: 0,2 %
Other religions: 4,4 %

Source: https://pixabay.com/vectors/germany-flag-nationality-country-31017/

Due to its special history, most people react very sensitive on discrimination and hate crimes, especially for religious reasons.

Auschwitz concentration camp
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/auschwitz-museum-poland-camp-4715252/

Holocaust Memorial in Berlin
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/memorial-concrete-blocks-concrete-1621728/

3. Statistics of Violence

Looking at the development of hate crime against religious communities you will see that the numbers of anti-religious hate crimes are rising. The following chart gives an overview over the numbers:

The number of attacks at places of worship - whether Jewish, Muslim or Christian - has also increased in recent years: 100 attacks at churches, 103 attacks at Mosques, 24 attacks at synagogues, 59 attacks at religious establishments and 9 at other religious places. Most of the criminal acts were the damaging to property, incitement of the people or offences of propaganda.

4. Institutions and politics

The protection of places of worship is a duty that touches different political levels in Germany, due to the federal system. The ‘Bund’ provides the money for building measures to protect places of worship, while the ‘Länder’ (federal countries) decide how and where to spend the money.