“Ettlingen has a mosque?” someone asks surprised. Yes. Right here in front of us is the DITIB Ettlingen. This house of worship is more than just a building. It is a community hub. It is a place of peace. It is a testament to Ettlingen’s diverse culture.
DITIB stands for Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs. It is one of Germany’s largest Islamic organizations. DITIB was founded in 1984. It serves as a branch of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Ankara. Some consider it an arm of the Turkish state.
The DITIB funds around 900 mosques in Germany. That was the status in 2016. The imams and religious teachers are trained in Turkey. Then they are sent to Germany. Officially they are civil servants of the Turkish state. DITIB claims independence from the Turkish government.
In the past DITIB faced controversies. Some local DITIB homepages featured hate speech. This speech was anti-Western and anti-Semitic. In 2018, the Federal Ministry of the Interior cut funds. This happened after DITIB’s involvement in several controversies. One controversy was refusing to participate in an anti-terror march. It took place in Cologne in 2017.
Under the presidency of Rıdvan Çakır, DITIB tries to integrate better into German society. DITIB helped initiate “Together for Peace and against Terror”. Over 20000 Muslims participated in this demonstration. It happened on November 21, 2004, in Cologne. Participants signaled their disapproval of violence in the name of Islam. Green Party politician Claudia Roth spoke there. Bavaria’s Interior Minister Günther Beckstein was present. Fritz Behrens gave a speech. It was one of Germany’s largest demonstrations of its kind.
The DITIB Ettlingen is located at Rheinstraße 16. The Turkish Islamic Community manages it. The mosque is a place where people come together. They practice their faith. They celebrate their culture. The DITIB Ettlingen is open to all. It welcomes those seeking understanding and peace. It contributes to Ettlingen being a tolerant and diverse city.