A 2022 study presented by Ferda Ataman, Germany’s Independent Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination, found that one in eight people living in Germany reported experiencing discrimination at least once that year. In absolute terms, roughly nine million people said they were treated differently because of their physical appearance.
The report, produced by the German Center for Integration and Migration Research using data from a broad socioeconomic survey of about 30,000 participants, pairs statistics with personal accounts. One example Ataman shared describes a Black woman named Sarah whose stroller was searched by a supermarket employee without permission; the employee justified the action by saying someone who looked like her had recently stolen from the store. Such incidents, the study notes, occur across everyday life.
Its overall picture is stark: discrimination is common and not limited to society’s margins. It happens at work, in schools, when people look for housing, and while shopping. Although the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) has banned discrimination on most visible grounds for 20 years, many people do not pursue remedies. More than half of those surveyed said they took no action after being discriminated against; about 30% confronted the person responsible; only 3% sought legal action.
Some victims did go to court. The study highlights the case of Humaira Waseem, a German-born teacher who was turned away by a real estate agent; when she applied using a German-sounding name she received a viewing. She sued and the Federal Court of Justice awarded her €3,000 in compensation under the AGG, illustrating how discrimination can block access to basic needs like housing.
When asked why they felt targeted, 42% cited ethnic background or race, almost 24% cited gender (mostly affecting women), and others named age, religion, or illness. Ataman is urging that nationality be explicitly added to the AGG’s protected characteristics and calls for stronger measures to combat discrimination. She noted that some countries, such as Belgium, provide legal protection through authorities, while her agency primarily offers advice, and that everyday discrimination seems less common in English-speaking countries and Scandinavia.
The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS) operates independently within the Federal Ministry of Education; Ataman has served as government commissioner since 2022. This article was originally written in German.