In Germany, the primary factor contributing to mortality remains unchanged.
For the first time in seven years, the number of fatalities in Germany in 2023 dropped compared to the year prior. The top two reasons for fatalities also saw a decrease. These statistics also indicate a decline in the COVID-19 pandemic, with a rise in flu-related deaths.
Heart-related issues once again topped the list of causes of death in Germany last year. Close to a third (33.9%) of all deaths were due to heart attacks, strokes, or similar conditions, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office. Cancer accounted for more than one-fifth (22.4%) of deaths.
Both leading causes of death showed a decrease compared to the previous year: there was a 2.7% drop in fatalities due to cardiovascular diseases and a 0.5% decrease in fatalities due to cancer.
Decrease in overall fatalities
For the first time since 2016, the overall death toll also decreased: from 1,070,000 fatalities in 2022 to 1,030,000 people in 2023, a drop of 3.6%. More than half of the women who passed away were 85 years or older, and nearly a third of the male deceased were in the same age bracket.
More individuals lost their lives to the flu or pneumonia: the number of cases went up by 13.1% to almost 20,900, after increasing by 30% the year prior.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers in this area had significantly dropped - as protective measures also managed to prevent infections with other diseases. In 2023, the number of flu and pneumonia fatalities was almost back to pre-pandemic levels, accounting for 2% of all causes of death, the Federal Office explained.
Dramatic decrease in COVID-19 as a leading cause of death
In 2022, COVID-19 was still listed as the primary cause of death in 25,768 cases, representing 2.5% of all cases, a decrease of 50.8% compared to the previous year.
In 2022, 49,400 people died as a result of unnatural causes such as injury or poisoning. Around 20,800 people perished due to falls.
10,300 individuals took their own lives, with the number of cases increasing by 1.8% compared to the previous year. According to the Federal Office, this increase is mainly due to an increase in suicides among women (up by 8%), while the number among men dropped slightly (down by 0.3%). Overall, suicides made up a similar proportion of death causes as in previous years (1%).
Men and boys accounted for 43.1% of the overall fatalities due to unnatural causes in 2023, with falls being the leading cause of death for this group, accounting for 44.3% of male fatalities in this category. Despite the increase in suicides among women, men still made up the majority of suicide deaths, accounting for 64.4% of all suicide fatalities in Germany last year.
