They mostly trace their origins to Albania, Kosovo and to a lesser extent to North Macedonia and other Albanian-speaking territories in the Balkan Peninsula.

Their exact number is difficult to determine as some ethnic Albanians hold German, Macedonian, Serbian or another Former Yugoslavian citizenship.

[6] The first mention of Albanians being present in Germany was during the wars of Austrian Succession fighting as stratioti mercenaries for Empress Maria Teresa.

In 2015, there was another wave of Albanian immigration when tens of thousands of people from the Western Balkans traveled to Germany and applied for asylum.

In addition to the high unemployment and lack of perspective also targeted disinformation by tour operators and people smugglers is seen as the cause of mass immigration.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees tried to prevent further Albanians from leaving for Germany by advertising and media campaigns.

Berlin, Hamburg, München and Stuttgart represent the metropolitan areas with the most significant concentration of Albanians in Germany.