The number of refugees in Germany has reached a record high in over half a century

According to the German newspaper Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, citing official documents, the number of refugees in Germany has reached an all-time high since World War II, with nearly 3.5 million people, of which around 1.18 million are Ukrainian citizens.

“The number of refugees living in Germany has reached a new maximum… By the end of the first half of 2024, there were approximately 3.48 million refugees in total. This is around 60,000 more than at the end of 2023 and is the highest figure since the 1950s… Of the 3.48 million refugees, nearly 1.18 million are Ukrainian citizens,” the article states, citing a response from the federal government to an inquiry from the “Green” party faction in the Bundestag, which was obtained by the publication.

On September 9, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser ordered the introduction of temporary border controls on all German land borders to reduce the influx of migrants and combat terrorist threats. In a letter to the European Commission, Faeser stated that the country’s resources and those of its federal states for accepting migrants are “almost exhausted.”

The debate over migration policy has intensified in Germany following a terrorist attack in Solingen on August 23, allegedly committed by a Syrian citizen who was supposed to be deported from Germany in 2023. Three people were killed and eight others injured in the knife attack.

Earlier, several German politicians called for the abolition of Bürgergeld (unemployment benefits for citizens in Germany) for Ukrainian refugees.

The monthly Bürgergeld payment of up to €563 per person, which includes free medical services and accommodation in social housing during integration and language courses, is provided to Ukrainian citizens. For example, Bijan Djir-Sarai, general secretary of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), which is part of the ruling coalition, told Bild that switching to standard payments of €460, which are available to all other refugees, would encourage Ukrainian citizens to find employment. He added that such a measure would have a positive impact on the labor market due to the overall shortage of skilled workers in Germany.

However, Steffen Hebestreit, an official spokesperson for the cabinet, had earlier stated that there were no plans to replace the guaranteed payments to Ukrainian citizens with standard refugee benefits.