Homelessness in Germany

Homelessness in Germany is a significant social issue, estimated to affect around 678,000 people,[1] including about 372,000 people accommodated by public services, e.g., in municipal refugee shelters.[2] As of 2017[update] there had been a 150% increase in the homeless population within the country since 2014.[3] Around 22,000 of the homeless population are reported to be children.[1][citation needed]

In addition, the country has yet to publish statistics on homelessness at a Federal Level[4] despite it being an ongoing and widespread matter.

## History

[edit]

### Prior to WWII

[edit]

In 1933, the Nazi Party passed a Law "against Habitual and Dangerous Criminals", which allowed for the relocation of beggars, homeless, and the unemployed to concentration camps.[5]

### WWII and its impact

[edit]

In 1942, British bombing raids destroyed a total of 3.6 million homes, with 7.5 million Germans left homeless.[6]

## Current statistics

[edit]

A homeless person sleeping on the street A homeless person in Frankfurt

The homeless levels have risen more than 4% between 2017–2018.[1] In addition, according to BAGW's report, refugees are more likely to be homeless.[7] The number of homeless people with a refugee background increased by 5.9%. A majority of the homeless population is men (three in four).[7] There is a worrying increase in the amount of young homeless in some countries including Germany.[8] According to the German Federal Ministry for Housing, more than half a million people in Germany are homeless as of August 2025.[9]

## Causes

[edit]

The Federal Government acknowledges that homelessness in Germany is caused by multiple factors, "such as financial, domestic, and individual psychosocial reasons" and that it is not merely rooted in the lack of affordable accommodation.[4] According to Global Homelessness Statistics, "Around 50% of poor households spend more than 40% of their disposable income on housing".[8] The Berlin Homeless Shelter Association provides housing to the homeless population in Berlin, Germany.

## Prevention

[edit]

Research has been conducted to investigative proactive ways to prevent homelessness. People being evicted from their homes is one of the most common factors for homelessness. Some instruments used to stop the eviction process, include financial support, legal provision for cases of hardship, and assistance negotiations with landlords.[10] As stated by Dr. Busch-Geertsema, coordinator of the European Observatory on Homelessness, prevention is categorized in several ways: primary prevention (larger risk groups), secondary prevention (those being threatened with eviction), and tertiary prevention (persons who are already homeless).[10]

## See also

[edit]

* List of countries by homeless population

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Homelessness in Germany on the rise". DW.COM. 2019-11-11. Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
2. ^ "Statistics of homeless people accommodated". Statistisches Bundesamt. Archived from the original on 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
3. ^ "Germany: 150 percent rise in number of homeless since 2014". DW.COM. 2017-11-14. Archived from the original on 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
4. ^ a b "OHCHR | Home". ohchr.org. Archived from the original on 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
5. ^ "The History Place - Holocaust Timeline". www.historyplace.com. Archived from the original on 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
6. ^ "The outbreak of war and its impact - World War Two and Germany 1939-1945 - AQA - GCSE History Revision - AQA". BBC Bitesize. Archived from the original on 2019-12-08. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
7. ^ a b Wedia. "Homelessness on the rise in Germany". www.iamexpat.de. Archived from the original on 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
8. ^ a b "Global Homelessness Statistics". Homeless World Cup. Archived from the original on 2019-08-28. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
9. ^ "Germany Homelessness". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
10. ^ a b Busch-Geertsema, Volker (2014). Homelessness and Prevention Policies in Europe. Brussels: European Commission.

* v
* t
* e

Homelessness in Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
*   * Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Vatican City

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

* v
* t
* e

Homelessness

People|

* Aged people
* Beggar
* Cyber-homeless
* Families
* Gutter punk
* McRefugee
* Mole people
* Street people
* Street children
* Social orphan
* Vagrants
* Bergie
* Tramps
* Hobos
* Youth

Issues|

* Anti-homelessness legislation
* Bill of Rights
* Bumvertising
* Discrimination
* Mental health
* Patient dumping
* Popular culture
* Spirituality
* Vulnerability Index
* Pets
* Survival sex
* Social cleansing
* Slum clearance

Responses|

* Soup kitchen
* Hygiene program
* Homeless ministry
* Homelessness services
* List
* Street newspaper
* List

| Shelters|

* Homeless shelter
* Cooling center
* Drop-in center
* Four penny coffin
* Two-penny hangover
* Penny sit-up
* Warming center
* Women's shelter
* Homeless Friendly Precincts

|

Housing|

* Foyers
* Housing First
* Rapid Re-Housing
* Right to housing
* Single-room occupancy (SRO)
* Squatting
* Tent city
* Transitional housing

Awareness|

* Homelessness Action Week
* Homeless Persons' Week
* Homeless World Cup
* International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
* Street Child World Cup
* Youth Homelessness Matters Day

By country|

| Africa|

* Algeria
* Egypt
* Ghanaian children
* South Africa

|

Americas|

* Canada
* Vancouver
* Latin American children
* United States
* LGBTQ youth
* Veterans
* Women
* California
* San Francisco
* Colorado
* Columbus
* Florida
* Minneapolis
* New Mexico
* Oregon
* Seattle
* Elsewhere

Asia|

* Bangladeshi children
* China
* India
* children
* Indonesia
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* North Korea
* Filipino children
* Thai children

Europe|

| East|

* Eastern European children
* Hungary
* Russia

|

North|

* Denmark
* Finland
* Ireland
* Sweden
* United Kingdom
* England
* Scotland

South|

* Greece
* Portugal
* Spain
* Vatican City

West|

* France
* Germany
* Netherlands
* Switzerland

Oceania|

* Australia
* Papua New Guinea
* New Zealand

Category
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template