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German is one of the most popular languages in the world, with an estimated 175–220 million speakers worldwide. While the country of Germany is most strongly associated with the language, German speakers are scattered across the globe. Australia, for example, has a German-speaking population of around 75,600, with approximately 70,000 people speaking German at home. German Australians constitute the fourth-largest ethnic group in the country, with around 1,026,138 Australians claiming German ancestry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| German speakers in Australia | 75,600 |
| German speakers at home in Australia | 70,000 |
| German-born population in Australia | 108,000 |
| Australian residents with German ancestry | 1,026,138 |
| Median age of German-born population in Australia | 67 |
| German speakers worldwide | 175–220 million |
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What You'll Learn
German is the fourth most common ancestry in Australia
However, the German language was actively suppressed by the Australian government during World War I and World War II, resulting in a sharp decline in its use in Australia. This suppression, along with other factors, has contributed to the decline in the number of German speakers in the country.
Today, Australia has an estimated population of around 75,600 German speakers, with about 70,000 people speaking German at home. This number is lower than the total German-born population in Australia, estimated at 108,000, because many Germans in Australia are the sole German speakers in their household. For example, international students or individuals married to English speakers may not speak German at home.
The German-born population in Australia peaked in 2008 at 126,000 and has been declining since, coinciding with Germany's declining migrant-age population. The median age of the German-born population in Australia is 67, indicating that half of the German-born population is over 67. As the large cohort of German-born Baby Boomers ages, and with fewer young Germans settling in Australia, the German-born population in Australia is projected to continue its decline in the coming decades.
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German language suppression by Australian governments during WWI and WWII
German immigrants played a significant role in settling the states of Queensland and South Australia. Barossa German, a dialect of German, was once common in and around the German-settled Barossa Valley in South Australia. However, the German language was actively suppressed by the Australian government during World War I and World War II, resulting in a sharp decline in the use of German in Australia.
During World War I, Australia interned around 7,000 people in camps throughout the country. Of these, 4,500 were "enemy aliens" and British nationals of German heritage. While some had arrived from overseas, most were born in Australia; almost all were civilians who had committed no crime. The detainees were allowed visits from family, and correspondence was permitted in and out but was heavily censored and had to be written in English. Anything written in another language was confiscated. The Australian government's goal was to destroy the German community as an autonomous, socio-cultural entity within Australian society. They achieved this through various means, including closing German clubs and Lutheran schools, and interning community leaders to deprive German-Australians of their representatives in the mainstream public sphere of Australian society.
During both world wars, Australians of German ancestry were considered the "enemy within". Many were interned or deported, and their persecution also included the closure of German schools, the banning of the German language in government schools, and the renaming of many German place names. To avoid persecution, many German Australians changed their names into Anglicised or Francophone variants. German Australians also lost their jobs or had their businesses destroyed. Some voluntarily went into camps so that their wives and children could survive on a government allowance.
After World War II, Australia received a large influx of ethnic German displaced persons, who constituted a significant proportion of Australia's post-war immigrants. In the 1950s and 1960s, German immigration continued under assisted migration programs promoted by the Australian government. By 1991, there were 112,000 German-born persons in Australia. By 2004, German was the eighth most widely spoken language in the country after English, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Vietnamese, and Spanish.
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German-born population decline since 2008
The German-born population in Australia peaked in 2008 at 126,000 and has been declining ever since. This decline is attributed to various factors, including unfavourable exchange rates, expensive housing, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migration. In recent years, the Australian dollar has weakened against the euro, making it less appealing for Germans to migrate to Australia. Additionally, the high cost of housing in Australia has made permanent resettlement less attractive.
The COVID-19 pandemic also played a role in the decline of the German-born population in Australia. Travel restrictions during the pandemic reduced migration to Australia, and the subsequent increase in migration after restrictions were lifted in 2022 did not attract a significant number of Germans. While Germany has a history of high migration rates, the country is facing a decline in its population of migrant-age individuals. In 1953, almost 12 million Germans were between the ages of 18 and 29, the peak migration age. Today, only 10.7 million people fall into this age bracket, representing a 10% loss.
The German-born population in Australia is also ageing, with a median age of 67. This ageing population, combined with the low number of young German migrants, contributes to the decline in the German-born population. The Australian government's historical suppression of the German language during World War I and World War II may have also played a role in the language's decline in Australia.
Despite these factors, Germany continues to be an important source of migration for Australia. Australians of German ancestry constitute the fourth-largest ethnic group in the country, with around 1,026,138 people. German immigrants played a significant role in settling the states of Queensland and South Australia, and German speakers in Australia are estimated to number around 75,600. While the German-born population in Australia may have declined since 2008, the cultural influence of Germans in the country remains significant.
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German-speaking Jews settled in Australia
German-speaking Jews have had a long history of settlement in Australia, with the first Jews known to have come to the country as convicts transported to Botany Bay in 1788 aboard the First Fleet. This marked the beginning of European settlement in Australia and paved the way for Jewish people to settle at the edge of the diaspora. Over a thousand more people of Jewish descent are estimated to have been sent to Australia as convicts over the next 60 years, with most of them coming from London and belonging to the working class.
In the 1830s, free Jewish settlers arrived in Australia and established small congregations and synagogues in Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Launceston, Adelaide, and other places, including rural areas. The rhythms and rites of Jewish life in these congregations were influenced by Anglo-Saxon Jews, blending Jewish tradition with British culture. By the end of the 19th century, around 6,000 Jews were living in Australia, and another distinct group of Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe arrived, fleeing poverty, persecution, and pogroms.
The rise of Nazism in Germany in the 1930s and the outbreak of World War II led to another significant wave of German-speaking Jewish migration to Australia. Between 1933 and 1940, around 9,000 Jews from Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia obtained landing permits and travel documents to escape Nazi terror. In 1940, more than 2,500 men, including 1,750-1,780 Jews, arrived as refugees, and over 800 of them stayed in Australia, integrating into their new country. These refugees encountered challenges as they navigated their new environment, facing xenophobia and antisemitism, and were classified as 'enemy aliens' during the war, facing various restrictions.
The waves of Jewish migration to Australia have had a profound impact on the country's culture and society, contributing to its emergence as a multicultural nation. The successful integration of Jews into Australian society also led to a rise in assimilation, with intermarriage rates increasing and synagogue attendance declining over time.
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German Australians are spread across different electorates
One such community is in Newcastle, New South Wales, where about 0.22% of Novocastrians speak German at home. This percentage may seem small, but it still represents a significant number of people in this area, which is known for its rich multicultural and multilingual makeup.
Another area with a notable German-speaking population is the Barossa Valley in South Australia. This region was historically settled by Germans, and a dialect of German known as Barossa German was once widely spoken here. However, it's important to note that the use of German in this region declined sharply during World War I and World War II due to active suppression by the Australian government.
The German-born population in Australia has also been declining in recent years, with a peak of 126,000 in 2008 that has since dropped to an estimated 108,000. This decline is partly attributed to the aging German diaspora in Australia, with a significant number of German-born Baby Boomers and a smaller number of young Germans settling in the country. Despite this, German Australians still constitute the fourth-largest ethnic group in Australia, with around 1,026,138 people claiming German ancestry.
Overall, German speakers in Australia are spread across different electorates, with some concentrations in specific regions like Newcastle and the Barossa Valley. The German-speaking population in Australia has a rich history, but it has also faced challenges, including language suppression during wartime and a more recent decline in the German-born population.
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Frequently asked questions
It is estimated that around 75,600 people in Australia speak German, with some sources placing the number at 70,200. However, there are over a million Australian residents who claim German ancestry.
German immigrants played a significant role in settling the states of Queensland and South Australia. However, the German language was actively suppressed by the Australian government during World War I and World War II, resulting in a sharp decline in the use of German in Australia.
German is one of the most popular languages in the world, with approximately 175-220 million speakers worldwide.
