Cologne celebrates 10,000. Baby, but the number of births continues to fall!

Cologne celebrates 10,000. Baby, but the number of births continues to fall!

There was currently a happy reason for celebration in Cologne: Antonia Carlotta Mack was born in the Protestant hospital and not only continued a family tradition with her birth, but also became the 10,000th with this special event. Baby of the year 2025. The official certification took place on October 17th, and the city of Cologne and the clinic did not miss the opportunity to congratulate the happy family. Antonia Carlotta joins the list of her relatives, as her brother Clemens and her mother Luisa were also born in the Weyertal. Funnily enough, Birke Bauer, the gynecologist who gave birth, was also a 'Weyertal birthday child'.

But the joy of the birth of the 10,000th Babies are accompanied by a worrying trend: the number of births in Cologne has been falling for years. In 2024, 9,145 children were born, while in 2021 the numbers reached a peak of 11,127 births. According to the analyzing experts, 2021 is also the last year in which the number of births was higher than the number of deaths. Since then, deaths have exceeded those of newborns, which is a serious signal for the city. KStA informed that the number of notarizations fell from 14,121 in 2021 to 12,647 in 2024. The birth rate has fallen to a sad 1.06 children per woman in 2024.

A look at the current birth situation

A more detailed look at the nationwide statistics shows that around 376,000 children were born from January to July 2025, which represents a decrease of 5.2 percent compared to the previous year. What is particularly striking is that 46.2 percent of these birth successes were first children. The birth rate for mothers with German citizenship is only 1.23 children per woman, the lowest rate since 1996. For foreign women the birth rate is significantly higher at 1.84 children, although here too there has been a downward trend since 2017. Destatis highlights that the number of births in West Germany is particularly affected, where the numbers were reduced by 4.7 percent.

However, the forecasts of the Cologne Office for Urban Development and Statistics indicate a positive demographic development in the next ten years. An increase in the city's population of 1.1 percent is expected, due to higher immigration. This could potentially mitigate the trend of declining birth rates and attract more young families to Cologne.

Historical context of the population in Cologne

The history of Cologne's population goes back a long way. From the beginning as the founding of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium with around 30,000 inhabitants around 1970 years ago to the ups and downs over the centuries, the development is fascinating. In 2023, the population is estimated to be 1,024,408 people, having peaked at 1,024,373 in 2012. Historical differences, such as the leveling off of immigration effects in recent decades, make demographic development complex. Wikipedia documents how Cologne, shaped by wars and epidemics, was able to stabilize again and again. This constant change keeps the city alive and shows the need to resolutely address today's challenges in terms of birth rates.

It remains to be seen how the birth rates in Cologne will develop further. Supporting families and child-friendly policies could help stop the trend and welcome the next Antonia Carlottas.