Migrants in Germany say they are facing growing hostility and anti-immigrant sentiment as support for the far-right increases and migration remains a major issue in political debate.
Many migrants interviewed said they had experienced more incidents of verbal abuse and hostility in recent years. Reported incidents ranged from hostile remarks and demands to leave Germany to other forms of harassment.
Some migrants working in healthcare, tourism, education and food services said they would consider leaving their cities if the situation continued to deteriorate.
More than 900,000 Syrians live in Germany, many of whom arrived in the country as asylum seekers during the Syrian civil war. Some families who settled in Germany have since established careers and built lives in their communities.
One Syrian family living on Germany’s Baltic coast described the country as a place where they had found safety and security after fleeing the conflict. The family members said they had worked and contributed to their local community.
However, they said recent experiences of hostility had changed their sense of security.
One migrant woman recalled an incident outside a grocery store in which an elderly man allegedly told her that she did not belong in Germany and should leave the country.
Migrants in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the far-right has gained significant political support, said the changing social climate was causing concern.
The experiences reflect wider concerns among migrant communities about discrimination and growing anti-immigrant sentiment as Germany debates migration and the political influence of the far right.
