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Germany is home to four recognized autochthonous
(from the ancient Greek “long-established”) national minorities and ethnic groups:
In Germany, they receive special protection and specific support from the federal government and several federal states.
On the basis of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages the languages of the four national minorities (Danish, North and Sater Frisian, Upper and Lower Sorbian and the Romani of the Sinti and Roma) are protected in Germany. The regional language Low German (Plattdeutsch) is also protected by the charter. The speakers of Low German do not belong to a national minority: However, Low German is recognized as a regional language.
Confessing to a minority/ethnic group is free in Germany. Figures are based on estimates only. This is partly due to the persecution of minorities during the National Socialist tyranny and partly due to concerns under international law. The Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (Council of Europe) stipulates that membership of a minority is the personal decision of each individual and is not registered, verified or contested by the state.
The autochthonous national minorities/ethnic groups include the national minorities/ethnic groups that have emerged as a result of European history, border demarcations and other historical events, as well as the peoples of Europe who have never founded their own state and live as a minority on the territory of a state.
The Charter of the autochthonous, national minorities/ethnic groups in Europe of the FUEN (Federal Union of European Nationalities), the umbrella organization of minorities in Europe, provides the following definition:
An autochthonous, national minority/ethnic group is understood to be a community,
Autochthonous national minorities and ethnic groups are distinct from immigrants (also known as allochtonous/new minorities), who have not traditionally lived in Germany.
The Sorbian people live in Upper Lusatia (Free State of Saxony) as Upper Sorbs and in Lower Lusatia (State of Brandenburg) as Lower Sorbs/Wends. In addition to German, they speak Upper and Lower Sorbian. There are still around 60,000 Sorbs/Wends.
The German Sinti and Roma live throughout Germany. According to estimates, around 60,000 German Sinti and around 10,000 German Roma live in Germany today. In addition to German, they speak the minority language Romani.
The Danish minority lives in northern Schleswig-Holstein along the border with Denmark. Around 50,000 members of the Danish minority have Danish as their mother tongue in addition to German.
The Frisian ethnic group in Germany lives on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein and in north-western Lower Saxony as well as in the district of Cloppenburg. An estimated 60,000 people consider themselves to be Frisians. The North Frisians are native to the district of North Friesland and the island of Heligoland. They speak nine different local dialects on the mainland and the islands. The East Frisians live in the districts of Aurich, Leer, Friesland and Wittmund, in the independent cities of Emden and Wilhelmshaven and in parts of the districts of Cuxhaven and Wesermarsch. They speak an East Frisian dialect. The Sater Frisians settle in the north-west of the district of Cloppenburg and in the independent municipality of Saterland. Around 2000 people still profess to be Sater Frisians and speak Sater Frisian.
