Social Inequality in Germany

Researched by Lacey Elliott

Germany has a long history of social inequality, infamous for the Holocaust, which dates from 1933 to 1945. The Holocaust was the genocide of six million European Jews, black people, LGBTQ members, disabled, gypsies, etc. Adolf Hitler, Nazi Germany dictator from 1933-1945, desired a perfect Aryan race free of Jews and other minority groups as they were deemed destructive to Germany’s economy. Since then, Germany has made significant progress regarding Jewish equality. Today in Germany, the presence of Jews is the 8th largest in the world. There are many organizations (falling under the Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland (Central Council of Jews in Germany)) that are integrated in Germany. Jewish teachings, culture, youth, and political members who lift the Jewish community are a part of these many initiatives and organizations. Also, the 2021 Act on Combating Right-Wing Extremism and Hate Crimes prioritizes finding and criminalizing individuals who commit anti-semitic hate crimes, helping with security issues against the Jewish community. 

While Germany is making tremendous progress towards Jewish equality and safety, they have not been making progress towards Muslim rights and protection. For example, in 2017, the European Court of Justice ruling permitted employers to forbid headscarves in workplaces if deemed inappropriate or unnecessary. A hospital in Ruhr, Germany, implemented this rule in order to have a “religious neutrality of the staff in their interactions with patients.” Many Muslim women wear a hijab as a sign of modesty and faith, so having that stripped away for “neutrality” reasons is destructive and Islamophobic.

Anti-Islamophobic protest in Germany. Image credit to Human Rights Watch.

Another inequality issue that has arisen in Germany is the reformed labor market and pension system. The changes made within the past twenty years have prolonged the work life for the average German worker, as they are expected to work longer in their life to receive a decent pension. The reason for these changes is for a multitude of reasons, one being the shortage of higher education individuals, especially in blue-collar jobs. German people at one point were able to retire at 55 years old, but now, since the reform in 2008, the official age of retirement is 65-67 years old. This is devastating for many German people and they actively seek equality in the labor market. 

On the other hand, Germany has made progress promoting gender equality. Germany has consistent laws installed that prioritizes gender equality in the workforce, such as the Anti-Discrimination Law and Germanys Grundgesetz (basic law). The 2015 Act on Equal Participation in the Private and Public Sectors, the Federal Equal Opportunities Act, and the Federal Committee Appointments Act have all been modified to promote women in civil service and leadership positions, which is very progressive for German women. However, Germany still has a long way to go in regards to the energy and transportation sectors, as women make up less than 30% of employees. 

Overall, Germany has strengths and weaknesses in citizen equality. The efforts made by them are prominent and can be implemented even further in the future to promote true equality for all citizens. 

Resources/References

Congress, World Jewish. “World Jewish Congress.” World Jewish Congress, 2023, www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/about/communities/de#community-life. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.

“Gender Equality Index | 2023 | de | European Institute for Gender Equality.” Eige.europa.eu, 29 Nov. 2023, eige.europa.eu/gender-equality-index/2023/country/DE.

“Germany - United States Department of State.” United States Department of State, 20 Mar. 2023, www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/germany/.

Hess, Moritz. “Retirement Expectations in Germany—towards Rising Social Inequality?” Societies, vol. 8, no. 3, 10 July 2018, p. 50, https://doi.org/10.3390/soc8030050.