People group profile · PG000586
The Swiss Germans of Switzerland
The Swiss Germans of Switzerland, numbering about 5,530,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are the largest linguistic and cultural group of Switzerland. Swiss Germans are Swiss, not Germans from Germany, with a distinct identity shaped by Swiss history, federalism, and their everyday use of Swiss German dialects.
They are an indigenous people in the Swiss people cluster of the Eurasian Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Swiss German.
Fast facts
- Country
- Switzerland
- Population
- 5,530,000
- Affinity group
- European Peoples
- People cluster
- Swiss
- Primary language
- Swiss German (gsw)
- Primary religion
- Roman Catholicism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Deutschschweizer, Suisse alémanique, Svizzera tedesca
- Region
- Western Europe, Europe
Where they live
Gospel status
The Swiss Germans are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical but there has been dispersed church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Swiss Germans
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Roman Catholicism · Christianity
50% adherents
Primary language
Swiss German · Indo-European family
100% speak Swiss German
Gospel resources in Swiss German
- Bible available, published 1997
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Swiss Germans
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Swiss German in other countries
The same people (ROP3 103304) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Germans | Sweden | 3,000 | No Longer Unreached |
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