Poles in Germany

Polish minority in Germany, is the second largest Polish minority (Polonia) in the world and the biggest in Europe. Estimations of the number of Poles living in Germany vary from 384,808 Poles with exclusively Polish citizenship and with up to three million people living that might be of Polish descent, although many of them have lost their ancestors' identity. The main Polonia organisations in Germany are the Union of Poles in Germany and Congress of Polonia in Germany. Polish surnames are relatively common in Germany, especially in the Ruhr area (Ruhr Poles) and among Silesians. Minority rights for Poles in Germany were revoked by Hermann Göring's World War II decree of 27 February 1940, and their property was confiscated. The official minority status of Poles has never been restored in Germany., Polska Agencja Prasowa

History

Since the Partitions of Poland in 1772, 1793 and 1795 and Poland's partial incorporation into Prussia, a large Polish ethnic group existed inside Prussia's borders, especially in the new provinces of Posen and West Prussia. During the transformation of Germany from an agrarian to an industrial society, many Poles, alongside Silesians, Kashubians and Masurians migrated to the rapidly transforming areas around the Ruhr river. The expansion of the coal mining industry of the area required manpower which could not be supplied from the nearby regions. The...
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