Find your community

Where Polish speakers in Berlin get advice, meet people, follow Polish-language news, find work, practise German and find Polish classes for children.

On 30 June 2026, 50,425 Polish nationals and 107,245 people with a migration background from Poland were registered in Berlin (Amt für Statistik Berlin-Brandenburg, Statistischer Bericht A I 5 hj 1/26). You are not the first to arrive, and you do not have to work everything out alone. This page lists free, public or non-profit places. Links checked on 30 October 2026, new entries on 5 November 2026; opening hours change, so check the site before you go.

Where Polish Berliners live

Polish nationals live fairly evenly across the city. The largest numbers are in Tempelhof-Schöneberg (12,163), Spandau (11,750), Neukölln (11,590), Mitte (11,102), Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (10,670) and Reinickendorf (10,411). Wherever you settle, there is likely a Polish shop, parish or association nearby.

Advice in Polish, free of charge

• Polnischer Sozialrat / Polska Rada Społeczna e.V. (Oranienstraße 34, Kreuzberg): social, family, labour, consumer and psychological counselling, including the federal migration counselling for adults (MBE). By appointment; opening days are listed on the site.
• BEMA – Berliner Beratungszentrum für Migration und Gute Arbeit (Lorenzweg 5, Tempelhof): free advice on pay, contracts, dismissal and working conditions, site available in Polish. Run by Arbeit und Leben Berlin-Brandenburg.
• Faire Mobilität (DGB): nationwide Polish-language hotline 0800 0005780 for workers from Central and Eastern Europe; anonymous and free.
• EU-Gleichbehandlungsstelle: federal body for the rights of EU workers; information in Polish. Individual replies may only be in German, English or French; not verified.
• Lotsenstelle für migrantische Selbstständigkeit: free guidance for starting a business, in German and English. Polish on request only; not confirmed. See Self-employed.
• Willkommenszentrum Berlin: the Senate's advice centre for new arrivals; German and English, no Polish listed.
• Polish Embassy, Berlin (gov.pl): passports, ID cards, civil-status documents, e-Konsulat. Consular matters only, not German law.

For questions about your rights see Your rights and Workers' rights.

Meeting people: associations, culture, parishes

• Deutsch-Polnische Gesellschaft Berlin (Charlottenburg): talks, films, concerts, a regular Stammtisch and the magazine DIALOG.
• SprachCafé Polnisch e.V. (Schulzestraße 1, Pankow): a meeting place with Polish-language events, a library, children's programmes and volunteering.
• buch|bund (Sanderstraße 8, Neukölln): German-Polish bookshop with readings, the O!buch book club and Polish courses.
• Pilecki-Institut Berlin: lectures, exhibitions and educational walks on Polish and German history.
• Polnisches Institut Berlin (instytutpolski.pl/berlin, Mitte): the Polish cultural institute. Site not reachable when checked; programme not verified.
• filmPOLSKA: Polish film festival in Berlin, usually in September. 2026 edition ran 9 to 16 September, organised by the Polish Institute Berlin; 2027 dates not yet published.
• Club der Polnischen Versager (Ackerstraße 168, Mitte): Polish artists' club. Current programme not verified; see visitBerlin.
• FC Polonia Berlin e.V. (since 2012): football, volleyball and youth teams. Office: Emmentaler Straße 92, 13409 Berlin-Reinickendorf. To join or enrol a child, write to [email protected].
• Karneval der Kulturen: street festival in Kreuzberg, free; expected 14 to 17 May 2027 (Pentecost). Official dates not yet published.
• Polska Misja Katolicka w Berlinie: Polish masses and parish groups in four churches (Neukölln, Wedding, Spandau, Karlshorst).
• Tag der Polonia: annual Polonia fair, organised by the Polnischer Rat Landesverband Berlin e.V. (2026 press release).
• Online: search Facebook for "Polacy w Berlinie", Meetup for Polish or language groups, and nebenan.de for your neighbourhood. Treat advice in groups as tips, not facts.

Polish-language news about Berlin and Germany

• Polonia Viva: news, an events calendar and a directory of Polish organisations in Germany.
• Porta Polonica: documentation portal on Poles in Germany, including Berlin, in German, Polish and English.
• Polacy Berlin: Polish event listings for Berlin. Site was being rebuilt when checked.

Finding work

• Arbeitsagentur Jobsuche: the official job board; register as a job seeker at the Berlin employment agency (Working as an employee).
• EURES: EU job portal in Polish with EURES advisers; BEMA (above) is listed as a Berlin contact point.
• Jobcenter Berlin: twelve district offices for people entitled to Grundsicherungsgeld (Benefits).
• Make it in Germany: federal portal with a job board for skilled workers; Berlin Startup Jobs for startups (private board, free for job seekers).
• Apprenticeships: Ausbildung; the IHK Berlin links to ausbildung.berlin.
• Before signing: have a Polish-language adviser at BEMA or Faire Mobilität look at a contract you do not understand. Polish-language ads promising high pay without qualifications, housing tied to the job or fees are warning signs: Scams. Qualified in Poland? See Recognition.

Business network

• Polnischer Business-Club in Berlin: founded on 28 May 2026 at the Embassy of Poland, about 250 companies, aimed at Polish firms active in Germany. Membership terms not published. Starting out yourself: Self-employed.

Finding a Polish-speaking doctor

The KV Berlin Arztsuche (doctor search) can show the languages spoken in a practice; look for Polish. For urgent appointments call 116117. See also Health insurance.

German, tandems and volunteering

• Volkshochschulen Berlin: German courses in every district; see Language and integration for integration-course access.
• FU Berlin tandem service: language partner matching, open to non-students over 18. Availability of Polish partners and any fee not stated.
• LAGFA Berlin and the Berliner Engagementplattform: volunteer agencies in every district; volunteering is one of the fastest ways to practise German and meet people. SprachCafé Polnisch (above) also takes volunteers.

Polish for children, bilingual schools

• Polskie Towarzystwo Szkolne "Oświata": afternoon Polish classes, theatre and competitions across Berlin and online.
• Szkoła Polska im. gen. S. Grota-Roweckiego (Sächsische Straße 58, Wilmersdorf): the embassy school with pre-school groups, primary classes 1 to 8 and a lyceum, alongside German school.
• Erstsprachenunterricht (ESU) of the Berlin Senate: free, voluntary, usually 2 hours a week at public schools. Polish is offered. A group starts once at least 12 children register. Register via your child's school with the "Interessenbekundung" form; once registered, attendance is binding.
• Staatliche Europa-Schule Berlin, German-Polish: Katharina-Heinroth-Grundschule (primary, Wilmersdorf) and Robert-Jungk-Oberschule (secondary to Abitur, Wilmersdorf). Places are limited; ask the school about admission.

School and Kita rules: Family.