Refugees in Germany
Since 2015, integration has become a more pressing issue in Germany, and the reason is simple
Starting in that year, Germany has absorbed a flow of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and other unstable regions. This has led to calls to ensure that all arrivals are properly integrated.
How many refugees are there in Germany?
No country in Europe took more refugees during the 2015 crisis than Germany. In that year alone, Germany registered 890,000 asylum claims, and a similar number were processed in 2016. In total, well over 1.5 million refugees arrived in Germany as a result of war and famine.
How many refugees does Germany take in?
The situation has changed since 2015, with just 180,000 asylum claims registered in 2018. The system for registering and processing these claims has also been sped up, ensuring that more people can gain settled status, or be returned to their countries of origin if their claim is illegitimate.
Why is Germany taking so many refugees?
In 2015, hundreds of thousands of people were trapped in countries like Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia. Driven by civil war from their homes, and desperate for refuge, they found hostility and suspicion from these host countries. Pressure rapidly rose to find a solution. But it was still surprising when Angela Merkel decided to open Germany's borders, causing an influx of refugees.
However, the reasons are easy to understand. On one hand, Merkel did not want to risk instability in eastern Europe. But the humanitarian case was foremost. The Chancellor acted to prevent deaths by starvation, violence, or cold on Germany's border, and trusted Germany's hospitality to ease the process. This reflects Germany's historic experience of welcoming German migrants, but it was still a bold decision, and caused plenty of controversy.
If you want to help Syrian refugees, why not attend a restaurant or business supported by charities like Be An Angel, which are working to accelerate the integration of new arrivals?