Recruitment for Germany’s Bundeswehr Rises Slightly, Regional Trends Vary

Despite a modest national increase in new recruits, the Bundeswehr's overall personnel numbers slightly declined in 2024.

Germany's Bundeswehr saw an 8% national increase in recruitment, with 20,300 new recruits in 2024 compared to 18,800 in 2023.
Saxony experienced the largest regional increase, with nearly 25% more recruits (832 total), while Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein also saw above-average growth at 12.3% and 14.6%, respectively.
The proportion of 17-year-old recruits declined slightly nationwide but remains significant in regions like Brandenburg and Saxony, where over 10% of recruits were under 18.
The Bundeswehr's total personnel strength decreased slightly to 181,167 soldiers in 2024, down from 181,512 the previous year, despite the rise in new enlistments.
Recruitment for specialized roles, such as Heimatschutz (homeland defense), saw modest growth in some regions, focusing on disaster response and domestic aid rather than combat or overseas deployment.