Syrians in Germany

Pre-civil war migration

Even before the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Germany had a significant population of Syrian migrants, with religious and ethnic minorities such as Assyrians over-represented in the population. Many opponents of the regime in former Ba'athist Syria under Bashar Al Assad, especially Syrian Sunni Muslims and Palestinians have also sought refuge in Germany.

Migration during the civil war

However, the overwhelming majority of Syrians who have arrived in Germany migrated to the country after the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011.

During the European migrant crisis of 2014-2015, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees of the Syrian Civil War entered Germany to seek refugee status. The European migrant crisis was eased on September 4, 2015, by Chancellor Werner Faymann of Austria and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. They announced that migrants would be allowed to cross the border from Hungary into Austria and onward to Germany. On the morning of September 5, 2015, buses with migrants began crossing the Austro-Hungarian border.^[8][9]

Germany's number of asylum applicants, mostly consisting of Syrians, peaked at 890,000 in 2015, however, the trend began to reverse. In 2018 for instance, only 185,000 Syrians applied for asylum in Germany, although Syrians still continue to be the far largest group of Asylum seekers since 2013.

Most Syrians have been granted subsidiary protection, which makes them a permanent resident with the right to work and eligible for German citizenship after 5 years of residency.^[10] In 2023, they were by far the biggest group of foreign nationals receiving German citizenship.^[11]

Fall of the regime

After the Fall of Damascus on 7 December 2024 and Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Moscow, several thousand exiled Syrians living in Germany celebrated the fall of the Assad family.^[12] Following the fall of Assad regime, right-wing politicians campaigning for Germany´s 2025 election asked for the 973,905 Syrians in Germany to return to Syria.^[13]

While others feared that the Sunni Islamist HTS rebels, in charge after the fall of the regime, may not be willing to honor fundamental rights like freedom of religion and warned of hasty returns. The processing of new applications for asylum for Syrians was halted by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.^[14]

On 31 March 2025, 244,178 Syrians were working full time jobs in Germany. About 80,000 of them were working jobs, which were traditionally subject to staffing shortages was estimated the German Economic Institute. By July 2025 some 480,000 Syrians in Germany lived on benefits, like the Bürgergeld.^[15]

Assyrians

Prior to the civil war, many of the Syrians who came to Germany were of Assyrian origin. During the conflict, Assyrians also sought protection from Islamist groups in Syria.

Kurds

A large proportion of the Syrians who have arrived in Germany are also of Kurdish origin, seeking protection from Islamist groups in Syria.

Turkmen

Established in Germany, the "Suriye Türkmen Kültür ve Yardımlaşma Derneği - Avrupa", or "STKYDA", ("Syrian Turkmen Culture and Solidarity Association - Europe") was the first Syrian Turkmen association to be launched in Europe.^[24] It was established in order to help the growing Syrian Turkmen community who arrived in the country since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War. The association includes Syrian Turkmen youth activists from many different Syrian cities and who are now living across Western Europe.^[25]