Thousands gather in German cities for annual March for Life 

On September 20, 2025, thousands of pro-life advocates gathered for dual pro-life marches in Germany — one in the capital of Berlin and one in the city of Cologne.

Key Takeaways:

• In Germany, dual marches for life took place in Berlin and Cologne on September 20.

• This was the third year of the dual marches, with this year's drawing about 7,000 participants.

• Several representatives of Catholic leadership were in attendance, and several speakers focused on the global need for pro-life activism.

The Details:

This was the third year of dual marches in the two cities, with participants holding colorful signs and balloons proclaiming the importance of human dignity from conception to natural death, according to a report by National Catholic Register (NCR).  

According to Catholic News World, there were about 7,000 participants total — 4,000 in Berlin and 3,000 in Cologne.

According to CNA Deutsch, Catholic News Agency (CNA)’s German-language news partner, police warded off efforts by pro-abortion activists to disrupt this year's pro-life marches. Just two years ago, the first year of the dual marches, pro-abortion activists caused a two-hour delay in Cologne and police had to intervene. That first year, approximately 4,000 people gathered in Berlin, with an additional 2,800 in Cologne.

Gaudium Press provided details about the situation of abortion in Germany:

These calls come against a backdrop of stable but significant abortion numbers in the country: In 2023, Germany recorded 106,218 abortions, a slight increase from approximately 104,000 in 2022, according to data from the German Federal Statistical Office.

This represents an abortion rate of about 140 per 1000 live births, underscoring the scale of the issue that organizers argue demands greater scrutiny and support for alternatives.

Over the past decade, annual abortions have hovered around 100,000 to 110,000, down from peaks of 130,000-135,000 in the late 1990s and early 2000s, reflecting a gradual decline but persistent concerns about access to counseling and societal pressures.

Notably, church leaders gave considerable weight to these pro-life marches, motivating participants with messages of “faith and moral imperative,” the outlet stated. 

Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg accompanied thousands of marchers in Berlin, along with Berlin Auxiliary Bishop Matthias Heinrich. In Cologne, Auxiliary Bishop Dominik Schwaderlapp celebrated Mass with the faithful before the march started, CNA reported. Bishop Georg Bätzing, chairman of the German Bishops’ Conference, penned a written message highlighting that life “is a gift from God that humans do not acquire themselves but is entrusted to them.” 

Zoom In:

Speakers present at the event included Alexandra Linder, chairwoman of the Federal Association for the Right to Life, who thanked the Berlin crowd for a good turnout while emphasizing the global nature of pro-life activism.

Regarding assisted dying laws, Germany’s Federal Association for the Right to Life lambasted assisted suicide as “a bankruptcy declaration of society.” 

Pharmacist Andreas Kersten urged for the right to reject dispensing the “morning-after pill” for moral reasons as a vital illustration of abiding by one’s conscience.  

Professor Holm Schneider, a pediatrician from the University of Erlangen, gave a moving account of a quadruplet pregnancy in which all four children were born despite medical advice for “selective abortion,” which he called a “moving witness to life that makes clear every child can be welcome.” 

In addition, Johanna Durairaj from the organization Life for All gave a stark description about the pro-life situation in India, where millions of abortions happen yearly, according to CNA. The Gaudium Press reported, “Recent estimates peg India’s annual abortion figure at around 15.6 million to 16.6 million, with an abortion rate of 47 to 48 per 1000 women of reproductive age - among the highest in the world.”

The Bottom Line:

Gaudium Press said of this year's event: 

The marches highlighted a growing push for comprehensive reforms in Germany’s abortion policies, including demands for full transparency in abortion statistics, enhanced research into the causes of abortions, and stronger protections for medical professionals’ rights of conscience.