About 654,000 children were born in Germany in 2025 — Der Spiegel

About 654,000 children were born in Germany in 2025, the lowest figure since the end of World War II. As Der Spiegel reports, the number of births in the country has fallen by about 11% over a decade.

Fewer potential mothers

A study by the German Economic Institute in Cologne forecasts that low birth rates will persist for the foreseeable future. One factor is the expected decline in the number of women aged 25 to 39, the age at which they most often give birth. By 2035, their number nationwide could decrease by 10.2% compared with 2025.

The study's author, Wido Geis-Thöne, used population projection data. He also noted that the trend could be even stronger if previous assumptions about migration prove too optimistic.

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Differences between east and west

In eastern German states, the number of births has decreased by one-third over the past ten years. Among mothers with German citizenship, the decline exceeded 40%. In the west of the country, the decrease ranged from 6% to 8%.

The study expects different dynamics across regions: in the east, the number of young women will continue to decline, but may begin to grow slowly after 2030. In the west, a decline is forecast even after 2035.

The average number of children born per woman in Germany fell to 1.32 in 2025, the lowest level in about 30 years. Geis-Thöne believes that policy should make it easier for parents to decide to have children, including by improving childcare services. In his view, family policy measures should not be cut.