Muslims in Germany Are More Helpful to Refugees Than Christians Are, Survey Says

Whether it be providing food, shelter, clothing or teaching displaced immigrants how to speak the national language, Muslim citizens were more helpful to refugees in Germany than Christians and non-religious people in the country, according to a Bertlesmann Stiftung survey.

The survey found 44 percent of Muslims in Germany provided some form of aid to refugees in 2016 compared to just 21 percent of Christians. People who weren't affiliated with any specific religion accounted for only 17 percent of those working to help refugees in Germany.

Overall, a fifth of Germans volunteered to help refugees in some capacity in 2016. Bertlesmann researchers speculated that German Muslims may have shown more interest in helping displaced people could be due to their similar backgrounds, since many Muslims who have gained German citizenship come from countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, the home countries of many of Germany's asylum seekers.

Instead of radicalizing refugees as some migration opponents have feared, only two percent of German Muslims included in the survey reported intentions to exert religious influence or radicalization as part of their volunteer service in 2016.

Twenty-eight percent of Muslims in refugee-heavy areas reported volunteering at least once a week while Christian helpers accounted for just 20 percent of weekly volunteer services. More than a third of those who were unaffiliated with any religion helped refugees once a week.

Stephan Vopel, who worked on the survey, which was released Monday as a part of the Bertelsmann Foundation's third annual religion monitor report, said the findings demonstrated that German Muslims could serve as "important bridge-builders" for refugees living in the country.

In 2016, Germany's federal government said the country expected to spend $106.2 billion in refugee aid within the next five years, according to the Associated Press. Officials said the money would be used to provide housing support and benefits to asylum seekers as well as language lessons.