East Germany Experiencing Outflow of Residents
Since 2016, East Germany has witnessed an influx of people. However, this trend has reversed in recent months, with one particular group now leaving the new federal states.
Last year, for the first time since 2016, more people moved from East Germany to West Germany than vice versa. According to official data, approximately 85,300 people migrated from the old to the new federal states in 2023, while 88,300 people moved in the opposite direction.
This shift in migration patterns has resulted in a negative “migration balance” of around 3,000 people for East Germany, marking a reversal of the trend seen in the past six years. From 2017 to 2022, more people moved from the West to the East each year.
Foreigners appear to be a significant factor in the renewed migration from east to west. Around 32,500 people without German passports moved from the east to the west in 2023, while only 19,400 did so in the opposite direction.
While German citizens still tend to move from west to east, the gap has narrowed. In 2023, approximately 65,900 people with German passports moved to the new federal states, while 55,800 chose the opposite route.
The trend of men leaving East Germany in increasing numbers is also notable. In 2023, approximately 2,221 more men than women departed the region.
These developments are of concern for the Federal Government’s Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Carsten Schneider, who has stressed the need for East Germany to become a “land of immigration” to ensure its future.