Despite an increase in the number of recruits, the size of the Bundeswehr slightly decreased again last year.
At the end of last year, the German armed forces had around 181,150 soldiers, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense. A year earlier, on December 31, 2023, the army still had approximately 181,500 men and women in uniform.
According to the data, the reduction mainly occurred among temporary soldiers, while there was a slight increase in the number of professional soldiers and those undergoing military service.
At the end of 2022, the Bundeswehr still had 183,050 soldiers—significantly fewer than the target of 203,000 service members. However, this target is now considered outdated in light of the war in Ukraine and the need for national and allied defense, which requires more troops.
Meanwhile, an internal report from Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s office indicates that the percentage of female applicants has continued to decline over the past two years, despite extensive recruitment campaigns aimed at attracting women to the military.
Despite the overall decline in numbers, the Ministry of Defense claims to have achieved a “trend reversal,” citing an increase in applications and enlistments. Around 20,300 recruits joined the Bundeswehr, about 8% more than in 2023—an increase of approximately 1,500 soldiers. “2024 saw the largest recruitment numbers in the past five years,” said the spokesperson.
As of the latest figures, the Bundeswehr had about 81,600 civilian employees, roughly 100 more than at the start of 2024. In total, around 20,100 men and women served as reservists last year, including approximately 1,700 women.
