Germany’s largest Assyrian community battles for recognition in education system
Assyrians in Germany are voicing frustration after authorities rejected the inclusion of Syriac Orthodox religious education in schools, even as Islamic religious education has been widely implemented.
The Assyrian community of Gütersloh, a town in western Germany, is the largest in the entire country. Now, it is fighting for official recognition of its faith and identity in the classroom. At the heart of the struggle is the demand that Syriac Orthodox religious education be recognized as an official subject leading up to the German Abitur (high school diploma).
For years, Archbishop Philoxenus Mattias Nayis and community leaders have appealed to the Ministry of Education in North Rhine-Westphalia. After waiting more than a year for an answer, the response finally came this April. It was a firm rejection from Education Minister Dorothee Feller.
The ministry insists that, “in the short and medium term,” the request cannot be implemented, not even as a school experiment. For the Assyrian community, the refusal is both frustrating and deeply disappointing. The issue, however, is more than academic–it carries political and religious weight.
“What are you afraid of? We are a church, not a sect.”
Currently, Syriac Orthodox religious doctrine can be taught from grade one through grade ten. After that, the subject vanishes from the curriculum. Assyrian students must switch to Protestant or Catholic classes if they wish to continue with religious education in high school–traditionally, they join Catholic classes, since they are closest to their faith.
“But why can’t we offer our own lessons until the Abitur?” Augin Yalcin, a member of the Syriac Church District in the region was quoted in German media as saying. “There are enough teachers available. What are you afraid of? We are a church under public law and not a sect.”
Yalcin has taught the subject for 25 years and has represented religious education and pedagogy for two decades. He also points out that student demand is growing every year. “Our numbers are rising, and the demand from parents is very high.”
A community determined to press forward
The Gütersloh Municipal Gymnasium, which hosts 1,500 students, is home to the largest group of Assyrian students–around 150. The school leadership acknowledges the community’s request but points out that the decision lies with the ministry, not the school.
Deputy principal Britta Jünemann says: “We are open to offering Syriac Orthodox religious doctrine in the upper secondary school, but the conditions are not yet met. First, a corresponding field of study must be established at the universities to train teachers. And then the question is: Will there be enough teachers long-term?”
The Ministry of Education echoes this reasoning, citing the need for a binding curriculum, proven demand, and sufficient numbers of qualified teachers. According to the ministry, these requirements are not yet met.
Still, comparisons with other communities leave Assyrians frustrated. Islamic religious education, for example, was gradually introduced beginning in the 2016/2017 school year. Likewise, “Orthodox Religious Education” has technically been available since 2016–but in practice, it is offered at only one school in Düsseldorf.
Refusal not the end of the fight
The community had also proposed a school experiment to test the feasibility of the subject. This, too, was rejected outright by the ministry. Yet despite the repeated refusals, community leaders remain undeterred.
“Giving up is not an option,” says Yalcin. “We will continue to work until the requirements are met.”
