Islam in Germany

By: Suzanne Stern
Islam is the third largest religious community in Germany. 2.7 million adherents of Islam constitute 3 percent of Germany's population. The city of Cologne alone has 70,000 Muslim residents. There are 2,000 mosques in Germany and 2,500 smaller and larger Islamic organizations.
The history of Islam in Germany goes back to the 18th Century (CE) when Friedrich Wilhelm I, the Prussian king, ordered the twenty Muslim soldiers given to him as a gift, to form a community and perform their religious ceremonies in a house placed at their disposal to substitute a mosque. Thereafter, Muslims took up residence in Germany, yet it took about 200 years for them to be accepted as a "religious community." In the 1960's when Germany was in need of manpower exceeding its own capacity, it appealed to non-Communist neighbors to send "Guest Workers." The majority of those accepting the invitation, were Turkish citizens.
But the general belief that the "guests" would return to their homeland after a few years, turned out to be a miscalculation, as Germany had economic attractions which encouraged these people to remain. Therefore the guest workers decided to take up residence in Germany and have their families join them. Even the German government's offer of cash incentives towards their return, did not induce them to move back to their homeland.
In the mid-seventies, when Germany no longer had the need for foreign manpower, a foreign entity had become an integral part of the society and the formation of an enduring foreign body within the country had taken place, and thus Islam became an integral part of the German society. Hence the majority of Germany's Muslim community which exceed 2 million, are Sunni Turks and 17 percent make up the rest of the Muslim community.
Although most Turkish residents of Germany have been born there within the past thirty years and are entitled to German citizenship, they have preferred to keep their Turkish identity, as most do not wish to break all connections with their homeland, even though they have spent most of their lives in Germany.
As an example, they do not wish to spend their old age in Germany, nor wish to be buried there upon death. Thus as long as German immigration regulations do not undergo transformations and the immigrants have not married German citizens or borne children of such unions, they will be regarded as "foreigners born in Germany". Hence only 3 percent of the Muslims residing in Germany are regarded as Germans.
Although the German constitution guarantees religious freedom and Muslims may freely engage in the execution of their religious ordinances, Islam does not enjoy the privileges placed at the disposal of adherents of Christianity or Judaism, and financial aid in the form of subsidies and church taxes does not apply to the Muslim community.