Croats in Germany (; ) refers to persons living in Germany who have total or partial Croatian ancestry. They form the sixth largest ethnic minority in Germany. In 2021, there were 434,610 Croats holding Croatian citizenship and living in Germany. Croatia's State Office for the Croats Abroad, Croatian embassy in Berlin and Croatian Catholic Missions estimated that there are more than 500,000 Croats and their descendants living in Germany.
Demographics According to the German Federal Statistical Office of Wiesbaden in 2021, there were 434,610 Croatian citizens living in Germany.German Federal Statistical Office, http://www.destatis.de/ According to data from church institutions there are about 310,000 to 350,000 Croatians living in Germany.
Numbers of Croats In Germany per year 2021: 434,610 2020: 426,485 2019: - 2018: 395,665 2017: 367,900 2016: 332,605 2015: - 2014: 270,558 2013: - 2012: - 2011: - 2010: 220,199 2009: - 2008: - 2007: 225,309 2006: 227,510 2005: 228,926 2004: 229,172 2003: 236,570 2002: 230,987 2001: 223,819 1994: 176,251 1993: 153,146
Per federal state In year 2019 Number of Croats per German federal state# Federal state People 1. Baden-Württemberg 122,835 2. Bavaria 126,090 3. Berlin 14,430 4. Brandenburg 671 5. Bremen 2,167 6. Hamburg 6,630 7. Hesse 53,785 8. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 260 9. Lower Saxony 9,429 10. North Rhine-Westphalia 48,043 11. Rhineland-Palatinate 8,668 12. Saarland 1,205 13. Saxony 714 14. Saxony-Anhalt 435 15. Schleswig-Holstein 3,229 16. Thuringia 189
Cities In year 2019
Number of Croats in larger cities # City People 1. Munich 39,637 2. Frankfurt 16,751 3. Stuttgart 15,268 4. Berlin 14,430 5. Hamburg 6,630 6. Nuremberg 5,893 7. Mannheim 4,565 8. Augsburg 4,223 9. Düsseldorf 3,720 10. Cologne 3,569 11. Karlsruhe 3,383 12. Essen 2,880 13. Offenbach 2,420 14. Hanover 2,300 15. Pforzheim 2,193 16. Dortmund 2,153 17. Duisburg 2,044 18. Wiesbaden 1,967 19. Ulm 1,557 20. Lübeck 1,413
Among the German cities Stuttgart and Pforzheim had the highest share of Croats in 2011 according to German Census data.
Culture Croatian Cultural Community Stuttgart (Hrvatska kulturna zajednica Stuttgart, HKZ Stuttgart) was established by Croatian immigrants in the autumn of 1983. They successfully ran at the elections for the City of Stuttgart's International Council. First then soon-to-become president of Croatia Franjo Tuđman visited Stuttgart and the Community in the October of 1988. HKZ organizes extracurricular classes of Croatian for the Croatian children ever since Croatia gained independence in the 1990s. HKZ regularly organizes "Ljetni festival kulture" (Summer festival of culture), with concerts of Croatian folklore ensembles and klapas, as well as presentations of the Croatian cuisine and wines.
Language In July 2023, The Croaticum – Centre for Croatian Language and Literature was opened at the Regensburg University.
Events The Croatian Cultural Association of Bremen organizes summer music and dance festival “Sommerfest in Hastedt”.
The annual concert of Croatian musicians known as ”Hrvatska noć” (Croatian Night) is one of the biggest gatherings of Croats. In December 2023 it took place at the Fraport Arena in Frankfurt am Main.
Academia Croatian Academic Union Germany (Hrvatski akademski savez) is a network of students and academics in Germany who are Croatians or of Croatian descent.
Notable Croatians and people of Croatian descent in Germany
Fredi Bobic, former footballer Stipe Erceg, actor Werner Herzog, film director Milko Kelemen, professor at the Stuttgarter Musikakademie Stuttgart Ivan Klasnić, footballer Niko Kovač, football coach and former player Robert Kovač, football coach and former player Vanessa Mai, singer Sandra Nasić, singer for the rock band, Guano Apes Ivo Robić, musician Zvonimir Serdarušić, handball coach Edin Terzić, football coach and former player Jeremy Toljan, football player Josip Stanišić, football player Jasmin Wagner, singer Nikki Adler, boxer Marko Grgić, handball player Mario Pašalić, football player Marin Pongračić, football player
See also
Croatia–Germany relations Croats List of Croats Immigration to Germany Germans of Croatia Croats of Switzerland
References
External links Kroatische Zeitung News about business, education, society, tourism and sports