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🇩🇪 Germany /Culture & Society

Adoptions in Brandenburg Hit Record Low Amid Long Waits

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Documents & data Context piece
  • Adoptions in the German state of Brandenburg reached a multi-year low in 2025, with 113 children and adolescents adopted, a decrease of 11% from the previous year.
  • Experts attribute the decline in traditional adoptions by unrelated individuals to advances in reproductive medicine and a greater interest in adoption than the number of children available.
  • International adoptions are lengthy, often taking several years due to varying cooperation with origin countries, while domestic adoptions see many more applicants than available children.

Adoptions in Brandenburg, Germany, have hit a new low, with only 113 children and adolescents adopted in 2025. This figure represents a significant drop from previous years, marking the lowest point in recent history. The number of prospective adoptive parents far exceeds the number of children available for adoption.

Applicants often experience the indefinite waiting period after successful registration as challenging.

— Ministry for Education and YouthThis quote highlights the emotional and practical difficulties faced by individuals or couples pursuing international adoption.

Experts suggest that advancements in reproductive medicine have contributed to a decrease in what are termed "classic" or unrelated adoptions. These are adoptions by individuals who are neither stepparents nor relatives of the child. Nationally, Germany recorded 3,517 adoptions in 2025, the lowest number since 1990, with the Federal Statistical Office pointing to the decline in these unrelated adoptions as a key factor.

For those seeking to adopt, particularly internationally, the process is arduous and lengthy. International adoption procedures can span several years, according to the Ministry for Education and Youth. The Central Adoption Office for Berlin-Brandenburg manages these cases, noting that cooperation with authorities in the children's countries of origin varies significantly. Applicants often find the prolonged waiting period after registration particularly challenging.

One explanation for the overall declining case numbers is the continued decline in 'classic' foreign adoptions - that is, adoptions by persons who are neither stepparents nor relatives of the child.

— Federal Statistical OfficeThis statement from the Federal Statistical Office explains a primary reason for the nationwide decrease in adoption numbers.

Historically, the article touches upon past adoption practices, particularly concerning the GDR era. While research suggests forced adoptions were part of the SED dictatorship's systemic injustice, a definitive state-led political strategy within adoption procedures has not been proven. The ministry acknowledges that the period before Germany joined the Hague Adoption Convention in 1993 was marked by irregularities, corruption, and child trafficking, and the "processing of this dark chapter is just beginning."

The processing of this dark chapter is just beginning.

— Ministry for Education and YouthThis quote refers to the ongoing efforts to address past irregularities, corruption, and child trafficking associated with adoptions prior to Germany's adherence to the Hague Adoption Convention.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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