German immigration to Switzerland
Encyclopedia
About a quarter of a million German nationals
had permanent residence in Switzerland
in 2009.
Ever since the emergence of Switzerland
and Germany as distinct nations in the Early Modern period
, there has been considerable population movement in both directions, but meaningful population statistics become available only after the Napoleonic era
, with the formation of the restored Swiss Confederacy and the German Confederation
in 1815.
In 2007, about 37,000 Swiss nationals, or about 1 in 180 Swiss citizens, lived in Germany, accounting for just 0.05% of German population.
At the same time, about 224,000 German nationals, or 1 in 350 German citizens, lived in Switzerland, accounting for 3% of Swiss population.
The number of Germans in Switzerland has doubled in the period of 2002 to 2009. The reason for this is the Swiss–European treaty regarding the freedom of movement for workers
, activated in 2002.
While the freedom of movement treaty applies to all EU citizens, German nationals have been the main beneficiaries because their proficiency in the German language
allows them to take qualified jobs in German-speaking Switzerland without the added difficulty of a language barrier.
As of 2009, they were the second-largest expatriate group in Switzerland, numbering 266,000 (or 3.4% of total Swiss population) second to the Italians
with 294,000 (3.7% of total Swiss population). 22,000 were born in Switzerland (of these, 18,000 were minors, children born to German parents living in Switzerland). 19,000 Germans with permanent residence in Switzerland were married to a Swiss citizen.
In 2007, the number of Germans in Switzerland passed the historical maximum of 220,000 Germans recorded prior to World War I
.
However, because of the lower total population at the time, the pre-1914 fraction of Germans relative to total Swiss population was as high as 6%.
The rate of naturalizations
has also steeply increased since 2007. The reason for this, beyond the rising number of qualifying German nationals who had resided in Switzerland for the twelve years required by Swiss nationality law, was a change in German nationality law which
permitted German nationals to hold Swiss-German dual citizenship (while prior to 2007, Germans wishing to be naturalized in Switzerland had to give up their German citizenship).
Historical demographics:
German citizens with permanent residence in Switzerland by canton (2009): Zürich
72,000 (5.5%); Aargau
25,000 (4.1%); Berne
24,000 (2.5%); Thurgau
15,000 (6.3%); Basel-City
13,000 (6.8%); Lucerne
11,000 (3.0%); Basel-Country
10,000 (3.7%).
German citizens have mostly settled in Zürich
and the city's wider metropolitan area.
Already at the historical maximum of German presence in Switzerland in 1910, German population in Zürich was as high as 41,000 or 22% of the city's total population. As of 2009, German population in Zürich was at about 30,000, or close to 8%.
(or "germanophobia") directed against German immigration, both in Swiss and in German media.
While Swiss opposition against immigration from Southern Europe and Africa is characterized by concerns about criminality and the burden put on social welfare by large numbers of lower class or destitute
immigrants, opposition to immigration from Germany has a contrary motivation, notably the fear of competition from qualified immigrants on the job market, and rising prices on the real-estate market because of the increased demand created by well-to-do German immigrants, while in terms of crime rate, the German community was recorded as the group with lowest delinquency, at only 60% of the crime rate among Swiss nationals.
The extent of and reasons for Swiss opposition to German immigration were studied in Helbling (2011), based on a survey of 1,300 Swiss from Zürich
(the main target of recent German immigration). Helbling found that the Germans were the fourth-most disliked immigrant group in Zürich, following the immigrants from Former Yugoslavia
(considered as a single group), Turkey
and the Arab World
.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
had permanent residence in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 2009.
Ever since the emergence of Switzerland
Early Modern Switzerland
The early modern history of the Old Swiss Confederacy , lasting from formal independence in 1648 to the French invasion of 1798 came to be referred as Ancien Régime retrospectively, in post-Napoleonic Switzerland.The early modern period was characterized by an increasingly...
and Germany as distinct nations in the Early Modern period
Early modern period
In history, the early modern period of modern history follows the late Middle Ages. Although the chronological limits of the period are open to debate, the timeframe spans the period after the late portion of the Middle Ages through the beginning of the Age of Revolutions...
, there has been considerable population movement in both directions, but meaningful population statistics become available only after the Napoleonic era
Napoleonic Era
The Napoleonic Era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislative Assembly, and the third being the Directory...
, with the formation of the restored Swiss Confederacy and the German Confederation
German Confederation
The German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
in 1815.
Demographics
Because of the unequal size of the two countries, Germany being roughly ten times larger than Switzerland, German residents in Switzerland have a much greater visibility than Swiss residents in Germany:In 2007, about 37,000 Swiss nationals, or about 1 in 180 Swiss citizens, lived in Germany, accounting for just 0.05% of German population.
At the same time, about 224,000 German nationals, or 1 in 350 German citizens, lived in Switzerland, accounting for 3% of Swiss population.
The number of Germans in Switzerland has doubled in the period of 2002 to 2009. The reason for this is the Swiss–European treaty regarding the freedom of movement for workers
Freedom of movement for workers
The freedom of movement for workers is a policy chapter of the acquis communautaire of the European Union. It is part of the free movement of persons and one of the four economic freedoms: free movement of goods, services, labour and capital...
, activated in 2002.
While the freedom of movement treaty applies to all EU citizens, German nationals have been the main beneficiaries because their proficiency in the German language
Standard German
Standard German is the standard variety of the German language used as a written language, in formal contexts, and for communication between different dialect areas...
allows them to take qualified jobs in German-speaking Switzerland without the added difficulty of a language barrier.
As of 2009, they were the second-largest expatriate group in Switzerland, numbering 266,000 (or 3.4% of total Swiss population) second to the Italians
Italian immigration to Switzerland
Italian immigration to Switzerland began on a large scale in the late 19th century, although most of the immigrants that reached the country in that period eventually returned to Italy after the rise of Fascism...
with 294,000 (3.7% of total Swiss population). 22,000 were born in Switzerland (of these, 18,000 were minors, children born to German parents living in Switzerland). 19,000 Germans with permanent residence in Switzerland were married to a Swiss citizen.
In 2007, the number of Germans in Switzerland passed the historical maximum of 220,000 Germans recorded prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
However, because of the lower total population at the time, the pre-1914 fraction of Germans relative to total Swiss population was as high as 6%.
The rate of naturalizations
Swiss nationality law
Swiss citizenship is the status of being a citizen of Switzerland and it can be obtained by birth, marriage or naturalisation.The Swiss Citizenship Law is based on the following principles:...
has also steeply increased since 2007. The reason for this, beyond the rising number of qualifying German nationals who had resided in Switzerland for the twelve years required by Swiss nationality law, was a change in German nationality law which
permitted German nationals to hold Swiss-German dual citizenship (while prior to 2007, Germans wishing to be naturalized in Switzerland had to give up their German citizenship).
Historical demographics:
| year | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| German population (thousands) |
97 | 99 | 101 | 104 | 110 | 118 | 127 | 139 | 151 | 164 | 181 | 201 | 224 | 252 | 266 |
| percentage | 1.3% | 1.6% | 2.4% | 2.9% | 3.4% | ||||||||||
| naturalizations | 1,290 | 3,969 |
German citizens with permanent residence in Switzerland by canton (2009): Zürich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
72,000 (5.5%); Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
25,000 (4.1%); Berne
Canton of Berne
The Canton of Bern is the second largest of the 26 Swiss cantons by both surface area and population. Located in west-central Switzerland, it borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north. To the west lie the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Canton of Fribourg and Vaud. To the south...
24,000 (2.5%); Thurgau
Thurgau
Thurgau is a northeast canton of Switzerland. The population, , is . In 2007, there were a total of 47,390 who were resident foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.-History:...
15,000 (6.3%); Basel-City
Basel-City
Basel-Stadt is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The city of Basel and the municipalities of Bettingen and Riehen form its territory.-History:...
13,000 (6.8%); Lucerne
Canton of Lucerne
Lucerne is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton is . , the population included 57,268 foreigners, or about 15.8% of the total population. The cantonal capital is Lucerne.-History:...
11,000 (3.0%); Basel-Country
Basel-Country
Basel-Landschaft , is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The capital is Liestal...
10,000 (3.7%).
German citizens have mostly settled in Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and the city's wider metropolitan area.
Already at the historical maximum of German presence in Switzerland in 1910, German population in Zürich was as high as 41,000 or 22% of the city's total population. As of 2009, German population in Zürich was at about 30,000, or close to 8%.
Reception and image in Switzerland
Since 2007, there have been reports on Swiss xenophobiaXenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
(or "germanophobia") directed against German immigration, both in Swiss and in German media.
While Swiss opposition against immigration from Southern Europe and Africa is characterized by concerns about criminality and the burden put on social welfare by large numbers of lower class or destitute
Poverty in Switzerland
Historically, Switzerland has been a poor country, especially in the Alpine region. From the 17th century, incipient industrialisation brought wealth to the cities, particularly to Zurich, but rural areas remained destitute well into the 19th century, causing the peasant war in 1653, and later...
immigrants, opposition to immigration from Germany has a contrary motivation, notably the fear of competition from qualified immigrants on the job market, and rising prices on the real-estate market because of the increased demand created by well-to-do German immigrants, while in terms of crime rate, the German community was recorded as the group with lowest delinquency, at only 60% of the crime rate among Swiss nationals.
The extent of and reasons for Swiss opposition to German immigration were studied in Helbling (2011), based on a survey of 1,300 Swiss from Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
(the main target of recent German immigration). Helbling found that the Germans were the fourth-most disliked immigrant group in Zürich, following the immigrants from Former Yugoslavia
Former Yugoslavia
The former Yugoslavia is a term used to describe the present day states which succeeded the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia....
(considered as a single group), Turkey
Turks in Switzerland
Turks in Switzerland are Swiss citizens of Turkish origin. Over the last two decades, there has been a significant increase in the diversity of culture, language and customs in the Swiss population...
and the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
.
See also
- Demographics of SwitzerlandDemographics of SwitzerlandThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Switzerland, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
- Demographics of GermanyDemographics of GermanyThe Demographics of Germany were determined also by a series of full Census in Germany, with the most recent held in 1987. Since reunification, German authorities rely on a micro census....
- Migration within Europe