Iraqis in Germany () include migrants from

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, as well as their descendants. The number of Iraqis and Iraqi-Germans in Germany is estimated at around 310,000 people. The Iraqi community is ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse and includes Mesopotamian Arabs,

Kurds Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...

Iraqi Turkmen The Iraqi Turkmen (, عراق تورکمنلری; Arabic: تركمان العراق), also referred to as Iraqi Turks, (, عراق توركلری; ) are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq. They make up to 10%–13% of the Iraqi population. I ...

Mandaeans Mandaeans (Mandaic language, Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ) ( ), also known as Mandaean Sabians ( ) or simply as Sabians ( ), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism. They believe that John the Baptist was the final and ...

Assyrians Assyrians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to Mesopotamia, a geographical region in West Asia. Modern Assyrians share descent directly from the ancient Assyrians, one of the key civilizations of Mesopotamia. While they are distinct from ot ...

and

Yezidis Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish-speaking endogamous religious group indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. The majority of Yazidis remaining in ...

History and population

The number of Iraqi citizens in Germany is estimated at around 250,000. Between 2010 and 2019, Germany granted around 70% of Iraqi asylum applications, although most of these are subject to regular review. In 2019, Germany received 13,700 applications for asylum from Iraqis. The country is already home to a sizeable Iraqi population, many of whom were granted protection by the German authorities after fleeing persecution from Saddam Hussein’s former regime. However, Germany has adopted another policy towards Iraqi refugees which has distinguished it from all other EU states, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior has taken the unique step of systematically revoking the refugee status of thousands of Iraqis who were granted protection before 2003. Since the threat of persecution from the Iraqi Ba’ath regime is no longer present, 18,000 Iraqi refugees who entered the country before the 2003 invasion have thus had their refugee status revoked, placing them in a situation of uncertainty and precariousness. In June 2007, the German government asked the asylum authorities to temporarily suspend the revocation of refugee status for certain groups of Iraqis, such as those from Baghdad, single women, and members of religious or ethnic minorities such as Iraqi Assyrians. 70,000+

Notable people

Reem Alabali-Radovan Reem Alabali-Radovan (; born 1 May 1990) is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) who has been serving as the Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development in the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz since May 2025. Al ...

, politician * Laith Al-Deen, pop musician born to Iraqi father and German mother *

Dunja Hayali Dunja Hayali (born 6 June 1974) is a German journalist and television presenter for public broadcaster ''ZDF''. She has an interest in sports, and is also known for her social activism. Early life and education Hayali is the daughter of Assyri ...

, journalist and television presenter. *, crowned

Miss Germany Miss Germany is a national beauty pageant in Germany. The contest was held for the first time in 1927. Since 2020 it is used to honour women with special achievements. History In the past there were several organisations which claimed the tit ...

in 1996 ( Turkish-Iraqi origin) * Karo Murat, professional boxer *

Najem Wali Najem Wali (; born 1956) is an Iraqi novelist and journalist, based in Germany. Life Born in Amarah, Wali fled Iraq in 1980 after the outbreak of the Iran–Iraq War. He lives in Hamburg. Wali has published seven books. He is a correspondent for ...

, novelist and journalist * Khalid al-Maaly, writer and publisher *

Iqbal al-Qazwini Iqbal al-Qazwini is an Iraqi journalist and novelist. She was exiled in East Berlin, Germany in 1978 when she was in her early 20s, a consequence of Saddam Hussein's rise to power in her homeland. She has lived in Germany ever since. She has been a ...

, journalist and novelist. * Claudia Basrawi, German actress and writer born to Iraqi father and German mother * Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, German citizen who defected from Iraq *

Faris Al-Sultan Faris al-Sultan (, born 21 January 1978) is a German former triathlete who is now active as a coach. In 2005, he was the third German to win the Ironman Hawaii. He is listed in the best list of German triathletes on the Ironman distance. ...

, Ironman World Championship Born to Iraqi father and German mother *

Alexander Ridha Alexander Ridha (born 22 August 1982), better known by his stage name Boys Noize, is a German-Iraqi electronic music record producer, songwriter and DJ known for collaborations with artists including A$AP Rocky, Tommy Cash, and Frank Ocean (for e ...

, Electronic music record producer, songwriter, and DJ

Notes

References

{{Arab diaspora Arabs in Germany Middle Eastern diaspora in Germany Ethnic groups in Germany Iraqi emigrants to Germany

History and population

Notable people

See also

Notes

References