Culture

Muslims in Germany

Multi-facetted

Clichés are simple. But reality is complicated - and above all, too diverse to represent in one definitive image. The magazine Zenith and the Mercator Foundation established a photography prize aimed at representing the many facets of daily Muslim life in Germany. Karl Löffelbein's photograph of three people on their way to an engagement celebration won first prize.

Muslims in Germany

Encouraging understanding

Careful attention was first paid to the Islamic population in Germany after the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. Since then, the Muslim community has, if anything, been perceived as a threat. Because of that, many initiatives have been set up to encourage intercultural dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims. Senad Granulo's "From another point of view" portrays his hopes for dialogue.

Muslims in Germany

Opening doors

For the majority of non-Muslims, Islam reamins a mysterious religion. Most non-Muslims rarely enter the tea rooms of Turkish cultural associations. But photographer Kai Löffelbein stepped inside. His series "Strange Home" is an unvarnished look at the daily lives of Muslims in Germany. He wanted to portray, above all, "the feeling of estrangement and being unwelcome."

Muslims in Germany

A question of belonging

"Islam belongs to Germany," Christian Wullf, Germany's former president, said in 2010. His successor, Joachim Gauck, believes that at least Muslims living in Germany are a part of Germany. At the same time, Muslims are regularly urged to better integrate. That includes German Christians who have converted to Islam. "Made in Germany" is the title of this photograph by Laurent Quint.

Muslims in Germany

Bridging cultures

Around four million Muslims currently live in Germany. But they continue to stand out, like police commissioner Yildiray Kara in Gelsenkirchen (Photo: Yavuz Arslan). Kara belongs to the one percent of immigrants in the police service and was specially recruited to mediate between cultures.

Muslims in Germany

Different approach

Just how arduous the integration process can be is documented by Agata Szymanska-Medina in her series "Searching." For one year she accompanied Ali, a Palestinian, at work and during his free time in Berlin. Ali came to Germany on an academic exchange program. Without pathos, the photographer portrays a young man's approach to a strange new culture.

Muslims in Germany

Non-reductive images

What is typically Muslim? That's what 84 Muslims and non-Muslims attempted to answer for the nation-wide photography competition. They have captured the multiple manifestations and receptions of Muslim culture in Germany. Islamic culture is not presented as black-and-white, even when photographers such as Özge Celik employ it as a stylistic device.

Author: Marlis Schaum / hw | Editor : Kate Bowen