Does Germany have an official religion?
No, Germany does not have an official religion. The German constitution, known as the Basic Law (Grundgesetz), guarantees freedom of religion and belief. The country is known for its commitment to religious freedom and the separation of church and state. People in Germany are free to practice any religion or none at all, and the government does not officially endorse or support any particular religious denomination. The Basic Law also prohibits discrimination based on religious beliefs.
Main religion in Germany
Christianity is the predominant religion in Germany. However, active church attendance is lower than the overall Christian population.
Germany differs from many European countries in that its Christian population is divided almost evenly between the Evangelical Church of Germany (a combination of Protestant denominations, including Lutheranism and Protestant Calvinism) and the Roman Catholic Church. Additionally, approximately 2% of the population follows other Christian traditions, mainly Orthodoxy, including both Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy.
While both Catholicism and Protestantism have followers throughout Germany, there are regional distinctions. Generally, you will find a higher proportion of Catholics in the South and West, including regions like Bavaria, Rhineland, Westphalia, and Saarland. In contrast, the North and East of the country have a higher concentration of Protestants.
Germany differs from many European countries in that its Christian population is divided almost evenly between the Evangelical Church of Germany (a combination of Protestant denominations, including Lutheranism and Protestant Calvinism) and the Roman Catholic Church. Additionally, approximately 2% of the population follows other Christian traditions, mainly Orthodoxy, including both Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy.
While both Catholicism and Protestantism have followers throughout Germany, there are regional distinctions. Generally, you will find a higher proportion of Catholics in the South and West, including regions like Bavaria, Rhineland, Westphalia, and Saarland. In contrast, the North and East of the country have a higher concentration of Protestants.
Religion in Germany: percentage
Roughly 27 percent of Germany's population identifies as Catholic, while 25 percent is part of the EKD—a confederation encompassing Lutheran, Reformed (Calvinist), and United (Prussian Union) Protestant regional churches. Other Protestant denominations, including the New Apostolic Church, Baptist communities, and non-denominational Christians, make up about 2 percent. Orthodox Christians constitute 1.9 percent.
As per recent government estimates, around 5.7 percent of the population adheres to Islam. Within the Muslim community, 75 percent are Sunni, 13 percent Alevi, and 7 percent Shia. Additionally, there are smaller groups like Alawites (70,000), Ahmadis (35,000), and Sufis (10,000). Intelligence officials estimate about 12,150 Salafi Muslims. The Jewish population's estimates vary, with the Central Council of Jews estimating it at 94,771, while other estimates, including Jews not affiliated with a specific community, place it at around 190,000. According to the NGO Religious Studies Media and Information Service (REMID), Buddhists (270,000); Jehovah’s Witnesses (167,000); Hindus (100,000); Yezidis (100,000); members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (40,000); Sikhs (10,000-15,000); and members of the COS (3,400) together constitute less than 1 percent of the population. According to the Research Group Worldviews Germany, around 39 percent of the population either has no religious affiliation or belongs to religious groups not accounted for in government statistics.
As per recent government estimates, around 5.7 percent of the population adheres to Islam. Within the Muslim community, 75 percent are Sunni, 13 percent Alevi, and 7 percent Shia. Additionally, there are smaller groups like Alawites (70,000), Ahmadis (35,000), and Sufis (10,000). Intelligence officials estimate about 12,150 Salafi Muslims. The Jewish population's estimates vary, with the Central Council of Jews estimating it at 94,771, while other estimates, including Jews not affiliated with a specific community, place it at around 190,000. According to the NGO Religious Studies Media and Information Service (REMID), Buddhists (270,000); Jehovah’s Witnesses (167,000); Hindus (100,000); Yezidis (100,000); members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (40,000); Sikhs (10,000-15,000); and members of the COS (3,400) together constitute less than 1 percent of the population. According to the Research Group Worldviews Germany, around 39 percent of the population either has no religious affiliation or belongs to religious groups not accounted for in government statistics.
What was the religion in Germany before Christianity?
Before the widespread adoption of Christianity in Germany, the region practiced ancient Germanic religions, commonly referred to as Teutonic religions or Germanic paganism. These pre-Christian belief systems were characterized by their warlike ideologies, with variations in mythology and cosmology based on geographical locations. Notable hubs of Germanic paganism included Germany (inhabited by Germans and Goths), Great Britain (among the Anglo-Saxons), and Scandinavia (among the Nordic peoples).
In Scandinavia, for instance, the Old Norse gods were part of the broader framework of Germanic paganism. The religious landscape in these regions was diverse, with different tribes and communities having their own variations of beliefs.
The conversion to Christianity in Germany began around 500 CE when Clovis became the ruler of the Franks. The spread of Christianity in Europe accelerated from the 4th to the 10th centuries, especially under the influence of figures like Charlemagne, who ruled from 771 CE. While German pagans were Christianized during this period, the Scandinavians held onto their Old Norse beliefs until the 10th century.
In Scandinavia, for instance, the Old Norse gods were part of the broader framework of Germanic paganism. The religious landscape in these regions was diverse, with different tribes and communities having their own variations of beliefs.
The conversion to Christianity in Germany began around 500 CE when Clovis became the ruler of the Franks. The spread of Christianity in Europe accelerated from the 4th to the 10th centuries, especially under the influence of figures like Charlemagne, who ruled from 771 CE. While German pagans were Christianized during this period, the Scandinavians held onto their Old Norse beliefs until the 10th century.
Religion in Nazi Germany
In Nazi Germany, which was predominantly Christian, a census conducted in May 1939 revealed that 54% of the population identified as Protestant, 41% as Catholic, 3.5% as Gottgläubig (believing in God), and 1.5% as atheist. Notably, Protestants were overrepresented in the Nazi Party, while Catholics were underrepresented in both party membership and electorate.
The Nazi regime imposed bans on smaller religious minorities like Jehovah's Witnesses and the Baháʼí Faith, and sought to eradicate Judaism, resulting in the attempted genocide of its adherents. The Salvation Army disappeared from Germany, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church faced a temporary ban but was later reinstated after making concessions. Astrologers, healers, fortune tellers, and witchcraft were also prohibited.
The relationship between the Nazi government and religious minority groups varied. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) withdrew its missionaries from Germany and Czechoslovakia in 1938. Although German LDS church branches continued to operate during the war, they faced some structural and doctrinal changes.
Nazi leaders had differing views on the role of religion in Germany's future. Some, like Hitler's secretary Martin Bormann, propagandist Alfred Rosenberg, and Heinrich Himmler, held anti-Church sentiments. Others, such as Hans Kerrl, advocated for "Positive Christianity," a distorted version rejecting Christianity's Jewish origins and portraying it as a fight against Jews.
The Nazis aimed to create a unified national community by eliminating class, religious, and regional distinctions. Under the Gleichschaltung process, Hitler sought to establish a unified Protestant Reich Church, which faced resistance from the Confessing Church. Persecution of the Catholic Church ensued, with thousands of arrests and closures of non-religious Catholic institutions. Despite signing the Reich concordat treaty in 1933, Hitler routinely disregarded it, leading to accusations of the regime's "fundamental hostility to Christ and his Church." Many historians believe the Nazis intended to eradicate traditional forms of Christianity in Germany after achieving victory in the war.
The Nazi regime imposed bans on smaller religious minorities like Jehovah's Witnesses and the Baháʼí Faith, and sought to eradicate Judaism, resulting in the attempted genocide of its adherents. The Salvation Army disappeared from Germany, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church faced a temporary ban but was later reinstated after making concessions. Astrologers, healers, fortune tellers, and witchcraft were also prohibited.
The relationship between the Nazi government and religious minority groups varied. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) withdrew its missionaries from Germany and Czechoslovakia in 1938. Although German LDS church branches continued to operate during the war, they faced some structural and doctrinal changes.
Nazi leaders had differing views on the role of religion in Germany's future. Some, like Hitler's secretary Martin Bormann, propagandist Alfred Rosenberg, and Heinrich Himmler, held anti-Church sentiments. Others, such as Hans Kerrl, advocated for "Positive Christianity," a distorted version rejecting Christianity's Jewish origins and portraying it as a fight against Jews.
The Nazis aimed to create a unified national community by eliminating class, religious, and regional distinctions. Under the Gleichschaltung process, Hitler sought to establish a unified Protestant Reich Church, which faced resistance from the Confessing Church. Persecution of the Catholic Church ensued, with thousands of arrests and closures of non-religious Catholic institutions. Despite signing the Reich concordat treaty in 1933, Hitler routinely disregarded it, leading to accusations of the regime's "fundamental hostility to Christ and his Church." Many historians believe the Nazis intended to eradicate traditional forms of Christianity in Germany after achieving victory in the war.
Fastest growing religion in Germany
According to representative surveys, Islam is considered one of the fastest-growing religions in Germany. In 2019, it was estimated that there were 5.3–5.6 million Muslims with a migrant background, constituting approximately 6.4–6.7% of the population. This marks an increase from 4.4–4.7 million Muslims (5.4–5.7% of the population) in 2016. An older survey in 2009 suggested a total of up to 4.3 million Muslims in Germany at that time.
