Cardiovascular diseases were once again the most common cause of death in Germany last year.
One third, or 33.9%, of all deaths were due to a heart attack, stroke or a similar condition, according to the Federal Statistical Office, or Destatis. Cancer claimed the lives of more than a fifth of those who died, with 22.4% succumbing to the disease.
However, the statistics show a decrease in both causes of death compared to the previous year: 2.7% fewer people died from cardiovascular diseases and 0.5% fewer died from cancer.
For the first time since 2016, the total number of deaths also declined: From 1.07 million deceased in 2022, it decreased by 3.6% to 1.03 million people in 2023. More than half of the women who died and almost a third of the men who died were 85 years and older.
More people died from influenza or pneumonia: The number of cases rose by 13.1% to just under 20,900, after already rising by 30% the previous year.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the numbers in this area had dropped significantly as preventative measures also staved off other infections. In 2023, the office explained that with a share of 2% of all causes of death, influenza and pneumonia had reached a level similar to that before the coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, Covid-19 was given as the underlying cause of death in 25,768 cases. This accounted for 2.5% of all cases and represented a decrease of 50.8% compared to the previous year.
