Asians in Germany: Difference between revisions

 

Line 7: Line 7:

}}

}}

”’Asians in Germany”’ or ”’German Asians”’ ({{langx|de|”’Deutsch-Asiaten”’}}) are [[Germans|German]] [[German nationality law|citizens]] of full or partial [[Asian people|Asian]] [[Genealogy|descent]]. The term ”Asian German” is also applied to [[Immigration to Germany|foreign residents]] of Asian origin living in the [[Federal Republic of Germany]]. German Asians have been present in [[Germany]] in small numbers since the 19th century and originate primarily from countries like [[Vietnam]], [[People’s Republic of China|China]], [[Thailand]], [[India]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[South Korea]], [[Japan]], [[Indonesia]] or the [[Philippines]]. Although Germany’s official census data does not collect specific data on ethnicity or race, but rather [[nationality]], the number of people with an Asian “[[Academic achievement among different groups in Germany|migrant background]]” is listed in statistical reports.

”’Asians in Germany”’ or ”’German Asians”’ ({{langx|de|”’Deutsch-Asiaten”’}}) are [[Germans|German]] [[German nationality law|citizens]] of full or partial [[Asian people|Asian]] [[Genealogy|descent]]. The term ”Asian German” is also applied to [[Immigration to Germany|foreign residents]] of Asian origin living in the [[Federal Republic of Germany]]. German Asians have been present in [[Germany]] in small numbers since the 19th century and originate primarily from countries like [[Vietnam]], [[China]], [[Thailand]], [[India]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[South Korea]], [[Japan]], [[Indonesia]] or the [[Philippines]]. Although Germany’s official census data does not collect specific data on ethnicity or race, but rather [[nationality]], the number of people with an Asian “[[Academic achievement among different groups in Germany|migrant background]]” is listed in statistical reports.

As of 2011, there were approximately 1,890,000 people from or descendants of peoples from [[Southeast Asia]], [[East Asia]], [[Central Asia]] or [[South Asia]] living in Germany. However, these numbers do not include [[West Asia|Western Asians]] such as [[Turkish people|Anatolian Turks]], [[Kurds]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Mizrahi Jews]], [[Arabs]] or [[Iranian peoples|Iranians]]. If West Asian peoples were to be included, the numbers would be significantly higher as there are over 2.5 million [[German Turks]] alone.

As of 2011, there were approximately 1,890,000 people from or descendants of peoples from [[Southeast Asia]], [[East Asia]], [[Central Asia]] or [[South Asia]] living in Germany. However, these numbers do not include [[West Asia|Western Asians]] such as [[Turkish people|Anatolian Turks]], [[Kurds]], [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]], [[Mizrahi Jews]], [[Arabs]] or [[Iranian peoples|Iranians]]. If West Asian peoples were to be included, the numbers would be significantly higher as there are over 2.5 million [[German Turks]] alone.

Line 22: Line 22:

==Demographic distribution==

==Demographic distribution==

According to the German “Mikrozensus 2011” there were about 1.8 million people with an Asian migrant background living in Germany. Of those about 600,000 were of [[Southeast Asia]]n descent (primarily from [[Vietnam]] or [[Thailand]]).<ref>[https://www.destatis.de/DE/Publikationen/Thematisch/Bevoelkerung/MigrationIntegration/Migrationshintergrund2010220117004.pdf?__blob=publicationFile Bevölkerung und Erwerbstätigkeit]</ref>

According to the German “Mikrozensus 2011” there were about 1.8 million people with an Asian migrant background living in Germany. Of those about 600,000 were of [[Southeast Asia]]n descent (primarily from [[Vietnam]] or [[Thailand]]).<ref>[https://www.destatis.de/DE/Publikationen/Thematisch/Bevoelkerung/MigrationIntegration/Migrationshintergrund2010220117004.pdf?__blob=publicationFile Bevölkerung und Erwerbstätigkeit]</ref>

The distribution of German Asians by federal state is as follows:

The distribution of German Asians by federal state is as follows:

Line 110: Line 110:

*{{citation|last=Hillmann|first=Felicitas|title=Asian Migrants and European Labour Markets|chapter=Riders on the storm: Vietnamese in Germany’s two migration systems|pages=80–100|editor-first=Ernst|editor-last=Spaan|editor2-first=Felicitas|editor2-last=Hillmann|editor3-first=Ton|editor3-last=van Naerssen|isbn=978-0-415-36502-4|ref=none}}

*{{citation|last=Hillmann|first=Felicitas|title=Asian Migrants and European Labour Markets|chapter=Riders on the storm: Vietnamese in Germany’s two migration systems|pages=80–100|editor-first=Ernst|editor-last=Spaan|editor2-first=Felicitas|editor2-last=Hillmann|editor3-first=Ton|editor3-last=van Naerssen|isbn=978-0-415-36502-4|ref=none}}

[[Category:Asian diaspora in Germany| ]]

[[Category:Asian diaspora in Germany| ]]

[[Category:Asian diaspora in Europe|Germany]]

[[Category:Asian diaspora in Europe|Germany]]

Ethnic group

Asians in Germany / German Asians
Deutsch Asiaten
1,890,000 est.[1][2]
(2.0% of the German population)
Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt am Main, Düsseldorf, Hanover, Ruhrgebiet, Cologne, Leipzig, Dresden, Rostock, Mainz, Kaiserslautern,Braunschweig,Rhein-Neckar-Kreis
Various religions
Predominantly Buddhism, Irreligion and Islam but also Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism

Asians in Germany or German Asians (German: Deutsch-Asiaten) are German citizens of full or partial Asian descent. The term Asian German is also applied to foreign residents of Asian origin living in the Federal Republic of Germany. German Asians have been present in Germany in small numbers since the 19th century and originate primarily from countries like Vietnam, China, Thailand, India, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia or the Philippines. Although Germany’s official census data does not collect specific data on ethnicity or race, but rather nationality, the number of people with an Asian “migrant background” is listed in statistical reports.

As of 2011, there were approximately 1,890,000 people from or descendants of peoples from Southeast Asia, East Asia, Central Asia or South Asia living in Germany. However, these numbers do not include Western Asians such as Anatolian Turks, Kurds, Assyrians, Mizrahi Jews, Arabs or Iranians. If West Asian peoples were to be included, the numbers would be significantly higher as there are over 2.5 million German Turks alone.

Distribution of people with roots from the Asian continent in Germany.

Before World War II

[edit]

In late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages, there had been in parts of what is now Germany a periodical presence of nomadic tribal groups of either partial or full Central Asian/East Asian stock, like the Huns and the Avars. Besides, in the 13th century Mongol military detachments carried out plunder and scorched-earth operations in the easternmost parts of German territory. However, the first mentioned Asians in Germany proper were Chinese. In 1822 two Cantonese-speaking seafarers, Feng Yaxing and Feng Yanxue came to Berlin.[3] They were employed as stoker on steamships in Hamburg and Bremen. During the mid to late 19th and early 20th century many seamen and students resided in the Hamburg district of St. Pauli, forming a Chinatown.[4] Due to the Nazi regime, most of the Chinese population had to leave in the 1930s to escape discrimination.

In western Germany, many Vietnamese people arrived in the 1960s or 1970s as refugees from the Vietnam War. The comparatively larger Vietnamese community in eastern Germany traces its origins to assistance agreements between the GDR and the North Vietnamese government. Under these agreements, guest workers from Vietnam were brought to East Germany, where they soon made up the largest immigrant group and were provided with technical training. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, many stayed in Germany. Since the early 1990s there has been an influx of Thai people, South Koreans, Indonesians and Filipinos coming to Germany as nurses, au pairs or employees. In addition, illegal immigration from Vietnam via Eastern Europe is increasing significantly in the East German states.[5] Furthermore, there are far more Thai and Filipino women than men in Germany, while the reverse holds true for Chinese and Indians. The Vietnamese community which now forms the largest group of Asians in Germany has a more equal male-female ratio.

Demographic distribution

[edit]

According to the German “Mikrozensus 2011” there were about 1.8 million people with an Asian migrant background living in Germany. Of those about 600,000 were of Southeast Asian descent (primarily from Vietnam or Thailand).[6]

The distribution of German Asians by federal state is as follows:

State Number of Asians % of State population
North Rhine-Westphalia

457,000

2.5

Baden-Württemberg

273,000

2.5

Bavaria

253,000

2.0

Hesse

200,000

3.2

Berlin

150,000

4.0

Lower Saxony

209,000

2.5

Rhineland-Palatinate

105,000

2.5

Hamburg

80,000

4.5

Schleswig-Holstein

51,000

1.5

Bremen

20,000

3.0

Neue Länder (former East Germany)

117,000

1.0

Saarland

15,000

1.5

  • Gütinger, Erich (2004), Die Geschichte Der Chinesen in Deutschland: Ein Überblick über die ersten 100 Jahre ab 1822, Waxmann Verlag, ISBN 978-3-8309-1457-0
  • Hillmann, Felicitas, “Riders on the storm: Vietnamese in Germany’s two migration systems”, in Spaan, Ernst; Hillmann, Felicitas; van Naerssen, Ton (eds.), Asian Migrants and European Labour Markets, pp. 80–100, ISBN 978-0-415-36502-4

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top