First Mosque Opens in Eastern Germany After 18 Years of Objections

First Mosque Opens in Eastern Germany After 18 Years of Objections
—————————————
After nearly 18 years of planning and objections, the first purpose-built mosque in eastern Germany has opened in Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia. The Mahmoud Mosque was inaugurated days ahead of the start of Ramadan, with a limited police presence and without the large-scale protests that had accompanied the project in earlier years.

According to a report by Reuters, the mosque is located in the Marbach industrial area on the outskirts of the city. The white building features a decorative minaret approximately eight meters high, marking a clear architectural departure from the temporary prayer halls previously used by Muslims in the state.

Planning for the project began in 2007, but it faced repeated waves of opposition, particularly from right-wing activists and groups who argued that a mosque with visibly Islamic architecture carried cultural and political symbolism in a region with strong populist currents. In earlier phases, the construction site saw demonstrations and anti-project banners, and the issue was periodically used in local political discourse.

The opening itself passed relatively quietly. Police said only a small number of opponents were present and confirmed that the event took place without notable incidents.

Mosque administrators said the project cost about €1.4 million, fully funded through donations from community members. Friday sermons are delivered primarily in German to emphasize integration and openness, and the call to prayer will not be broadcast over loudspeakers in accordance with local regulations.

Data from the German Interior Ministry show that hundreds of crimes classified as anti-Muslim incidents were recorded in 2025. A civil society monitoring network also documented thousands of incidents of discrimination against Muslims in 2024, marking a significant increase compared with the previous year.