Turk in Germany

People Name:	Turk
Country:	Germany
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	1,568,000
World Population:	63,832,600
Primary Language:	Turkish
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Turkish
Affinity Bloc:	Turkic Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Ottomans ran two sieges in Vienna. The aftermath of the second invasion of Vienna saw an opportunity for a Turkish community to permanently settle in Germany due to Germans defeating the Ottomans and taking Turks as prisoners.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Turkish Germans are the largest minority ethnic group in Germany. Many Turks immigrated to West Germany during the building of the Berlin Wall. Turkish Germans brought their culture, religion, and tradition with them. There exist many Turkish cuisines, grocery stores, and mosques scattered throughout Germany. Turkish Germans endure discrimination in the workplace. They are often paid unequal wages as the Germans, are not given enough breaks, and work unproportionally harder than their German counterparts. There is also discrimination in German schools against the Turks. Because of this, Turkish people struggle determining their identity: Turkish or German. Although many Turks live a modern lifestyle in Germany, Islamophobia and identity issues are two of the largest problems facing Turkish German communities.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Turks are nominally Sunni Muslim, believing in one god (Allah), and an eternal heaven and hell. "Sunni," is derived from the Islamic term, sunnah, which means "well-trodden path." Sunnis believe that the correct path is that of the majority. Therefore, the tradition of the Sunni is political conformism, though the Turks have been more flexible than many of their Muslim neighbors. Other Turks are more secular in their beliefs, though they visit the mosque for special events. Some also hold to pre-Islamic beliefs as well. For example, some believe that men have the power to curse others by giving them the "evil eye."

What Are Their Needs?

Although the Turks of Turkey have Christian resources (both the Bible and the JESUS Film have been translated into Turkish) available to them in their language and mission agencies have worked among them, they remain Muslim. Prayer alone has the power to break through the strongholds of Islam. Intercessors are needed to daily stand in the gap and pray for the salvation of these people for whom the Lord Jesus laid down His life.

Prayer Points

Pray for the fervent believers to reach out in faith and love to the Muslim Turks among them. Pray for a spiritual hunger among Turks that will be satisfied by none other than the only Savior, Jesus Christ. Pray for a Disciple Making Movement among Turks to spread far and wide throughout Europe.