Racist discrimination on the rise in Germany: Report

Minorities in Germany are increasingly confronted with racist discrimination. The number of cases registered by counseling centers reached a new high last year, according to a situation report presented Wednesday by the German Anti-Discrimination Association (advd). Muslims and people of color are particularly affected. Those affected experience discrimination primarily at school or at work.

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"Racist discrimination is once again increasing significantly and reaching record levels," explained Natalie Pawlik, the Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Racism. Among other things, she is committed to strengthening school and non-school actors in dealing with racism and discrimination against children and young people.

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Eva Maria Andrades, the executive director of advd, explained: "Discrimination costs trust, health, and participation – and it undermines the foundations of an open and just society." Anti-discrimination counseling centers are doing "important work" in this area, but repeatedly encounter limitations "due to a lack of structural support and political backing."

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For this situation report, the association evaluated case data from 28 counseling centers across Germany. 3,332 new cases were reported – according to the association, this represents an average increase of 14.4 percent compared to the previous year. Racist discrimination reached a new high at 62.6 percent of all documented cases.

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Bartek Pytlas, the association's project manager for documentation and monitoring, explained that the anti-discrimination situation report makes visible what is often overlooked in everyday life: "Discrimination is not an isolated incident, but a structural reality." The data clearly shows where action is needed – and they are "a mandate for politicians and society to finally make protection against discrimination effective."

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The German Anti-Discrimination Association (advd) is an umbrella organization of independent anti-discrimination counseling centers. Its current 38 member organizations claim to have many years of experience in anti-discrimination work.