What does it mean to be German? It wasn’t just Hitler who was hung up about such a question. The current German government is spending money to decide it. 4 million euros have been given to 5 leading universities in Germany to develop German Islamic theology programs.

Critics say that Islam doesn’t belong in Germany. They even say that it is washing away European cultural identity. Far right groups have used it as an issue to attract followers. But the current government is banking on the opinion that it not only belong there, it is there to stay. They look at the statistics that show there are 44 million Muslims in Europe, making up about 6% of the population. There are 4.3 million Muslims in Germany, mostly Turks. That figure is expected to increase to 8% by 2030.

So despite the fact that 60% of Germans say Islam doesn’t belong, Germany’s ruling class is pushing ahead. Merkel may have made a speech last fall saying that “multi-culti” had failed. But she’s trying to find a way to reverse that trend. Now that there has been a deadly terror attack in Norway against Muslims on July 22, there is even more urgency to find a way for a Turk living in the country to say, “Yes, I’m a German.”