Turks in Germany – Biggest Minority Group

Despite the small increase, the proportion of foreign residents has remained constant at 8.9 percent since 1998, said the report.
Turks are the biggest minority and number 1.91 million or 26.1 percent.
Italians are the second biggest group with 610,000 (8.3 percent), followed by Serbia and Montenegro with 591,000 (8.1 percent), Greeks with 359,000 (4.9 percent), 318,000 Poles (4.3 percent) and 231,000 Croats (3.1 percent), said the statement.
A total of 1.53 million foreigners living in Germany were born in the country but never received German citizenship.
Under Germany’s old nationality law – dating back to the Kaiser’s era before World War I – citizenship was granted on the basis of having German bloodlines.
This was reformed under Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and children born since January 1, 2000 are allowed to hold dual nationality until the age of 23 when they must choose a single citizenship.
Schroeder’s reform also made it easier for resident foreigners to get a German passport.
Thus, the number of people born in the country but with no German citizenship is expected to decline sharply in the coming years.
DPA