Number of Refugees in Germany Reaches New High: How Many Ukrainians.

The number of refugees in Germany has reached a record level since World War II - over 3.5 million people. About 1.18 million of them are Ukrainian citizens.

This was reported by the German newspaper Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, citing official documents.

According to the federal government, by the end of the first half of 2024, about 3.48 million refugees were living in Germany, an increase of 60,000 compared to the end of 2023. This is the highest number since the 1950s.

Due to the influx of migrants and the threat of terrorism, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on September 9 ordered temporary control measures at all of Germany's land borders. In a letter to the European Commission, Faeser noted that the country's and federal states' resources for accommodating migrants are nearly exhausted.

Debates about migration policy in Germany intensified after the attack in Solingen on August 23. The attack resulted in the deaths of three people and injured eight others.

In light of these events, some German politicians called for the abolition of Bürgergeld (unemployment benefit) for Ukrainian refugees. This monthly benefit amounts to up to 563 euros and is provided along with free medical services and housing in social housing while attending integration and language courses.

The Secretary General of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), Bijan Djir-Sarai, suggested switching to regular payments of 460 euros, which are given to all other refugees. He believes that this will encourage Ukrainian citizens to find employment and improve the labor market situation.

However, the official representative of the cabinet of ministers, Steffen Hebestreit, stated that there are no plans to replace the guaranteed payments to Ukrainian citizens with standard refugee benefits.