In a significant development, Germany has seen a decline in its overall death rate for the first time in several years, with fewer people succumbing to heart attacks. The decrease in fatalities is partly attributed to the waning effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, although there has been a notable increase in deaths from influenza.
Cardiovascular diseases remained the leading cause of death in Germany last year, accounting for 33.9% of all fatalities. This category includes heart attacks, strokes, and similar conditions. According to the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, more than a fifth (22.4%) of deaths were due to cancer.
Despite being the top causes of death, both cardiovascular diseases and cancer saw a decline in fatalities compared to the previous year. The number of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases dropped by 2.7%, while cancer-related deaths decreased by 0.5%.
Overall reduction in deaths
For the first time since 2016, the total number of deaths in Germany decreased. In 2023, there were 1.03 million deaths, a 3.6% reduction from the 1.07 million recorded in 2022. Among the deceased, more than half of the women and nearly one-third of the men were aged 85 or older.
However, there was an increase in deaths due to influenza and pneumonia. The number of cases rose by 13.1% to nearly 20,900, following a 30% increase in the previous year.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, these numbers had significantly dropped, as precautionary measures also curbed the spread of other infections. In 2023, influenza and pneumonia deaths accounted for 2.0% of all fatalities, returning to levels similar to those before the pandemic, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Significant decline in COVID-19 deaths
The number of deaths where COVID-19 was the primary cause also saw a significant decline last year. COVID-19 was listed as the underlying cause of death in 25,768 cases, representing 2.5% of all deaths and marking a 50.8% decrease compared to the previous year.
In 2023, 49,400 people died from non-natural causes, such as injuries or poisoning. Of these, approximately 20,800 individuals died as a result of falls.
Additionally, 10,300 people ended their lives by suicide, a 1.8% increase from the previous year. This rise was primarily due to an increase in suicides among women (up 8%), while the number of suicides among men slightly decreased (down 0.3%). Overall, suicides accounted for 1.0% of all deaths, consistent with previous years.
