One in eight people living in Germany reported experiencing discrimination at least once in 2022, according to the study “How Discrimination is Experienced in Germany,” presented by Ferda Ataman, the Independent Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination. Put another way, about nine million people in Germany said they were discriminated against solely because of their physical appearance.
Ataman illustrated the findings with individual stories. She recounted the case of Sarah, a Black woman whose stroller was searched without consent by a supermarket employee who justified the action by saying, “Sorry, but someone like you stole from here recently.” Many similar cases are documented in the study carried out by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research, which analyzed data from a broad 2022 socioeconomic survey of roughly 30,000 participants.
The results paint a sobering picture. Ataman summed it up: discrimination in Germany is widespread and occurs “not on the fringes of society, but at its very core” — at work, in school, when seeking housing, and while shopping. Although the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) has prohibited discrimination based on most outward characteristics for 20 years, many affected people do not pursue remedies. More than half of those surveyed took no action after experiencing discrimination; about 30% confronted the person responsible; only 3% sought legal recourse.
Some did go to court. Humaira Waseem, a German-born teacher, was rejected by a real estate agent when seeking an apartment. When she applied again using a German-sounding name, she received a viewing appointment. She sued the agent and ultimately won: Germany’s Federal Court of Justice awarded her €3,000 in compensation under the AGG. Such cases highlight how discrimination can create severe obstacles to everyday life, including housing.
The study also asked people why they felt targeted. The largest share, 42%, cited ethnic heritage or race; almost 24% cited gender, mostly women. Age, religion, and illness were also named. Ataman is calling for nationality to be explicitly added to the traits protected under the AGG and says Germany must do more to fight discrimination. She noted that in some countries, like Belgium, authorities can offer legal protection to victims, whereas her agency primarily provides advice. She also said everyday discrimination appears less common in English-speaking countries and Scandinavia.
The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS), an independent body within the German Federal Ministry of Education, is headed by Ataman, who has served as government commissioner since 2022. This article was originally written in German.
