Society

Gesellschaft
A high standard of living and great individual freedom shape quality of life in Germany
A high standard of living and great individual freedom shape quality of life in Germany Altrendo Images

Enriching Diversity

Germany is a cosmopolitan country shaped by a pluralism of lifestyles. Demographic change is set to play a major role in the coming years.
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77

Number

Women have to work 77 more days a year to meet a man’s annual income. This so-called “gender pay gap” of 21% results when you compare the average salary of all women with those of men. Alongside this so-called non-adjusted figure there is an adjusted figure. It quantifies the gap between the income of men and women with comparable experience, tasks and working hours. In this instance the difference is 8%.
Gudrun Petersen/dpa
Topic

New role models

The lives of men and women in Germany are becoming more alike – but huge differences still exist in some areas.
In Germany the Basic Law guarantees religious freedom; there are more than 2,000 mosques
In Germany the Basic Law guarantees religious freedom; there are more than 2,000 mosques Boris Roessler/dpa
Topic

Freedom of Religious Worship

Freedom of religion is enshrined in the German Basic Law, while the religious landscape is marked by increasing plurality.
With a monthly child allowance, the state specifically promotes families – pre-school childcare provision has been broadened
With a monthly child allowance, the state specifically promotes families – pre-school childcare provision has been broadened Vetta/Getty Images
Topic

Strong Welfare State

A dense web of state insurances protects citizens against existential risks. The tradition of the welfare system goes back to the 19th century.
Great importance is attached to family – a great many fathers now also take parental leave
Great importance is attached to family – a great many fathers now also take parental leave Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Topic

Diverse Living Arrangements

New living arrangements are shaping German society. Targeted measures are being introduced to improve the reconcilability of career and family.
Timeline

Society

32.6 m

Number

is the number of employees subject to mandatory social insurance contributions that the Federal Employment Agency counted in December 2017. This equates to 75 to 80 percent of all employees. The figure does not include those not subject to mandatory social insurance contributions, i.e. civil servants, the self-employed, unpaid family workers, and mini-jobbers.

statistik.arbeitsagentur.de
Environmental protection is an issue many people actively work for in their spare time
Environmental protection is an issue many people actively work for in their spare time picture-alliance/Andreas Franke
Topic

Committed Civil Society

Civil commitment in Germany is high. Lots of people volunteer and the importance of foundations is growing.
Minister of State Aydan Özoğuz is the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration
Minister of State Aydan Özoğuz is the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration Martin Stoever/Bongarts/Getty Images
Topic

Structuring Immigration

Germany has become a popular destination for immigrants; integration is an important topic. There are 18.6 million people with a migratory background living here.
Info

Info

Shell Youth Study

What makes young people in Germany “tick”? What is im-portant to them, how do they spend their spare time, what is their relationship like to their parents and friends? Since 1953 the oil-and-gas company Shell has regularly commissioned independent research institutes to paint a portrait of young people. The 17th Shell Youth Study was 
published in 2015. → shell.de/aboutshell/our-
commitment/shell-youth-study.html

shell.de

Demanding to be Heard: The Second Congress of “New German Organisations”

Minorities, some of them born here, all of them people who now live, work and think, here, want to be accepted and have their voices heard. That should be a matter of course - but it isn’t. Various interest groups are calling for more diversity in public life, united under the roof of the Neue Deutsche Organisationen, or New German Organisations. At their Second Congress, they again took a long hard look at Germany.

List

Catholic diocese with the most members
Archdiocese of Cologne with roughly two million Catholics
Evangelical regional church with the most members
Hanover with more than 2.6 million Protestants
Major mosques
Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque/Mannheim; Şehitlik Mosque/Berlin, Fatih Mosque/Bremen
Largest Jewish community
Jewish Community of Berlin (10,000)
Andrea Enderlein
Topic

Players & Organisations

More information in the brief overview on the topic of Society, plus related links.
Neue Deutsche Organisationen - New Germans
Neue Deutsche Organisationen - New Germans Neue Deutsche Organisationen - New Germans
Topic

The new 
Germans

On being and becoming German – how the challenge presented by an influx of refugees can become a win-win constellation.

Across borders – When freedom of movement for EU workers is routine

Working wherever you want to. A very special freedom that the EU grants citizens. But there are places where this freedom of movement is simply routine - just normal and necessary....

German Foreign Office Boosts Humanitarian Aid for Refugee Flashpoints

„Germany will live up to its international responsibilities...“ These words, and additional funding of 400 million euros, are how the German lower house of parliament is responding to the emergency in international crisis regions. Most of that funding will be spent on humanitarian aid.