Assyrians in Germany
Encyclopedia
Assyrians/Syriacs in Germany (in German mostly known as Aramäer "Aramaeans") are people of Assyrian/Syriac
ethnicity living in Germany
. They are estimated to number more than 100,000 with most living in Munich
, Wiesbaden
, Paderborn
, Essen
, Augsburg
and Gütersloh
.
Being oppressed and persecuted throughout the 20th century, many arrived from the seeking for a better life. However, most arrived from Turkey
in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the German economic plan of "Gastarbeiter
"; as Germany was seeking immigrant workers, many saw the economic opportunity and applied for visas. Assyrians started working in restaurants or as construction workers for companies and even began running their own shops. The first Assyrian immigrants in Germany started organizing themselves by forming culture clubs and building churches. Today there are many Assyrian churches and clubs in Germany where young and older people come together, celebrating traditional events such as Easter
, Christmas
and other important days.
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
ethnicity living in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. They are estimated to number more than 100,000 with most living in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
, Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
, Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
, Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
and Gütersloh
Gütersloh
Gütersloh is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a district of the same name and has a population of 96,320 people.- Geography :...
.
Being oppressed and persecuted throughout the 20th century, many arrived from the seeking for a better life. However, most arrived from Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the German economic plan of "Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter
Gastarbeiter is German for "guest worker." It refers to migrant workers who had moved to West Germany mainly in the 1960s and 70s, seeking work as part of a formal guest worker programme...
"; as Germany was seeking immigrant workers, many saw the economic opportunity and applied for visas. Assyrians started working in restaurants or as construction workers for companies and even began running their own shops. The first Assyrian immigrants in Germany started organizing themselves by forming culture clubs and building churches. Today there are many Assyrian churches and clubs in Germany where young and older people come together, celebrating traditional events such as Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and other important days.