Macedonians in Germany


According to data from the Federal Statistical Office, 117,969 ethnic Macedonians were living in Germany at the end of 2020.

History

According to the 2006 census, 62,295 citizens of North Macedonia reside in Germany, irrespective of ethnicity.According to the 2016 census, 95,976 ethnic Macedonians. They are concentrated mainly in Bavaria, Berlin, Hannover and Stuttgart.

Organisation and religion

Macedonians in Germany are predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christians, and are mostly organised within the framework of the Macedonian Orthodox Church or the MPCO. Most of these organizations were formed in the early 1990s. The original church community was formed in Hamburg around 1980, and soon after six other MPCO's were established in Germany. The MPCOs have their own churches where many Macedonians gather for Ilinden, Easter and Christmas.
The biggest are:
The MPCO's encourage the Macedonian Orthodox Church, traditional Macedonian folklore and customs from the motherland. They also encourage the upkeep of Macedonian heritage, language and traditions in Germany.
Other Christian minority groups in the Macedonian German community include Greek Catholics, Eastern Catholics, a few Uniates and some Protestants. Smaller numbers of Macedonians are Muslims who may or may not adhere to every aspect of Islam, and many more could be nonreligious/irreligious and agnostic/secularist.

Sport

There are several Macedonian sports clubs in Germany. The best known is probably FK Makedonija 1970 from Berlin.

Notable Macedonians from Germany