Ever since the summer 2015, the media coverage barely recognizes any other topic than that as regards the flood of the refugees arrived in Germany – and even in 2016, this remains an ongoing debate. Terrorism, war, violence and poverty in their home countries are the motives why Syrians, Albanians, Somalis and Afghans moved out of their countries, at times, even leaving their families behind and expecting a peaceful life in a foreign country.
Until 2015, there were never recorded such a great number of the asylum applications. On what the immigrants represent for the country’s economy and politics, this remains a matter of conjecture up to now, the numbers and facts are in black and white, even when they often get exaggerated or depreciated. More than 476.000 asylum applications were submitted in Germany during 2015, spread all over the German states. Moreover, the origin and gender of the applicants are identified and often over discussed. Another year that recorded an excessive volume of asylum applications, before 2015 was in 1992 – a time when the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees received about 438.000 applications.
In 2016, the office is expecting another large wave of refugees – there is a vague prediction regarding the number of applications to be received this year by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.