A Berlin street with a café, a scooter and passers-by
Guide Poland → Germany · community · checked 1 Nov 2026

The Polish community in Germany

How many Polish people live in Germany, where Polish Mass and schools are, and how to keep a piece of home close.

Photo: Pexels
In numbers

How many Polish people live in Germany?

According to Germany's statistics office Destatis, about 1.5 million people born in Poland lived in Germany in 2025: together with people born in Turkey, the biggest immigrant group.

1.5 millionborn in Poland
No. 1immigrant group, with Turkey
16.4 millionimmigrants in Germany
82,082moved from Poland to Germany in 2024
90,807moved from Germany to Poland in 2024

Destatis, microcensus 2025. Migration 2024: Destatis figures via Euronews. In 2024, for the first time in many years, more Poles left Germany than arrived.

Where people live

Where Polish people live in Germany

Polish people live all over Germany. Many live in North Rhine-Westphalia, where Poles worked in the Ruhr mines over 100 years ago, and in the big cities.

NRW
North Rhine-WestphaliaThe Ruhr, Cologne, Düsseldorf. Poland has a consulate general in Cologne.
BER
BerlinThe Polish embassy, Polish Catholic missions and the Polish school at the embassy.
HH
Hamburg and MunichBoth have a Polish consulate general.
Community life

A piece of home, close by

Mass
The Polish Catholic MissionThe Polish Catholic Mission in Germany, with its rector's office in Hanover, runs pastoral care in Polish. In Berlin Mass is held in four churches, the main one the Johannes-Basilika in Neukölln.
Sch
Eleven Polish schoolsPolish schools at the embassy and consulates in Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Munich, Nuremberg, Remseck, Cologne, Essen and Frankfurt am Main. Associations run lessons too.
PL
Embassy and three consulatesThe embassy's consular section in Berlin serves the eastern states. Hamburg serves Bremen, Lower Saxony, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein; Cologne serves North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland; Munich serves Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.
Shop
Polish shopsIn many towns, and Polish food in the big supermarket chains too.
1945
Since 1945In April 1945 almost 700 priests freed from the Dachau camp began pastoral work among displaced persons: the start of Polish pastoral care in Germany.
PP
Porta Polonica in BochumA documentation centre on the culture and history of Poles in Germany, working since 2013 at the Hannover colliery industrial museum in Bochum.
2011
Open labour market since 2011Germany and Austria were the last EU countries to keep major restrictions on workers from Poland. They ended on 1 May 2011.
TV
Polish TVThe channels from home, live in Germany.Read the TV guide →
A cosy living room in the evening with a TV and warm shelf lights
Miss home?

The channels you grew up with, here

The news from home, your series, the big matches and the kids' cartoons in Polish. Live in Germany, on your TV.

How to watch Polish TV in Germany →
Advertisement: almost 400 Polish channels live with VOLTIX →
Photo: Pexels
Online

Where Polish people in Germany meet online

Much of the community talks on Facebook: jobs, flats, advice and events, in Polish.

FB
Your town's groupSearch Facebook groups for “Polacy w Berlinie” or “Polacy w Hamburgu”.
PL
The embassy's pageThe Polish embassy in Berlin: the Polish community in Germany.gov.pl →

Stay safe: groups are great for jobs and flats, but never send money or photos of your ID to someone you only know from a group.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

How many Polish people live in Germany?

About 1.5 million people born in Poland (Destatis, 2025): with people born in Turkey, the biggest immigrant group.

Where do most Polish people in Germany live?

Many live in North Rhine-Westphalia and in the big cities: Berlin, Hamburg and Munich.

Is there Mass in Polish in Germany?

Yes. The Polish Catholic Mission in Germany holds Mass in many cities; in Berlin, for example, in four churches, the main one the Johannes-Basilika in Neukölln.

Are there Facebook groups for Polish people in Germany?

Yes. Search Facebook groups for “Polacy w Berlinie” or “Polacy w Hamburgu”.

Where do I get a Polish passport in Germany?

At any Polish consular office in Germany, in person, after booking a visit on e-Konsulat. An adult passport costs 140 euros.

Can I get a Polish ID card at the embassy in Germany?

No. Consulates do not issue Polish ID cards: you apply in Poland, at any municipal office (urząd gminy).

Are there Polish schools in Germany?

Yes, eleven at the embassy and consulates. The school in Berlin has primary classes 1 to 8, liceum classes 1 to 4 and groups for children aged 3 to 6.

Can I watch Polish TV in Germany?

Yes. Our Polish TV in Germany guide shows every option, from the free TVP Polonia channel to all-in-one subscriptions.

More for Polish people in Germany

Guides for you

Polish TV in GermanyEvery Polish channel, live, and how the official apps compare.The Polish community in GermanyHow many, where people live, Polish Mass and schools, and where people meet online.Moving from Poland to GermanyA plain checklist: before you go and your first weeks.
Sources