Brandenburg sees a lower number of drowning fatalities, according to DLRG's records.
Decrease in Drowning Deaths Across Germany in 2025
Good news for water enthusiasts in Germany as a significant decrease in drowning deaths has been reported in the first seven months of 2025. Nationwide, there were 236 drowning deaths in this period, a decrease of 16 compared to the same period last year.
The swimming season in Brandenburg typically begins in May, and last year, five people died from drowning in May. However, this year, no drowning deaths have been reported in Brandenburg during May 2023. In the first seven months of 2023, 17 people drowned in Brandenburg, according to the German Life Saving Association (DLRG).
Last year, there were 20 drowning incidents in Brandenburg, with ten of these occurring in lakes. The remaining seven incidents happened in bodies of water other than lakes, such as rivers. By the end of April 2023, there had already been 10 drowning deaths in Brandenburg.
The specific reason for the decrease in the number of drowning deaths in Brandenburg and Germany in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the previous year is not detailed in the provided search results. However, factors such as improved public safety measures, increased awareness and education around water safety, better supervision and rescue infrastructure, and possibly more effective emergency response systems are often attributed to decreases in drowning fatalities.
For example, activism around safe swimming areas, like the protest against the Berlin Spree River swimming ban by the Flussbad Berlin association, suggests increased public engagement in water safety topics, which could indirectly contribute to reducing drowning incidents.
Official reports from German public health or water safety authorities would need to be consulted for precise and current reasons behind this trend in 2025. It is worth noting that in the first seven months of 2025, there were fewer drowning deaths nationwide compared to the same period in the previous year, with 16 fewer deaths compared to the same period last year.
The DLRG provided the interim report for drowning incidents in Brandenburg in 2023. While the exact reasons for the decrease in drowning deaths in 2025 are yet to be determined, it is a promising development for water safety in Germany. It is hoped that this trend continues as the swimming season progresses.
[1] Flussbad Berlin association, https://flussbad-berlin.de/en/
- The decrease in drowning deaths across Germany in 2025 might be related to increased awareness and education in health-and-wellness topics, such as fitness-and-exercise and nutrition, which promote a healthier population, less prone to accidents.
- As a result of this year's improved public safety measures, combined with the direct advocacy for safe swimming areas by organizations like the Flussbad Berlin association, scientists might expect a continued decrease in drowning incidents in the future, particularly in the context of discussions around water safety and nutrition.
