2020 in Germany

← 2019 2018 2017 2020 in Germany → 2021 2022 2023
Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2020 History of Germany  • Timeline  • Years

The following is a list of events from the year 2020 in Germany .

Incumbents

• President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier
• Chancellor: Angela Merkel

Events

January

• 5 January – Beginning of Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's European qualification ^[1]
• 6 January – End of 2019–20 Four Hills Tournament, a ski jumping event co-hosted by Germany and Austria ^[2]
• 17 January – Beginning of 2020 Men's EuroHockey Indoor Nations Championship ^[3]
• 20 January – Beginning of 2020 German Masters
• 21 February – 2020 Junior World Luge Championships
• 24 January – 2020 Rot am See shooting
• 27 January – The first recorded infection of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany occurs in Bavaria.

February

• 5 February – The Start of the 2020 Thuringian government crisis. The Crisis was triggered by the election of Thomas Kemmerich from Free Democratic Party (Germany) FDP as Thuringian Minister President with votes from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU} and (FDP). The election attracted considerable national and international attention because, for the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, a Minister President was elected with votes from a far-right populist party, in this case the AfD.
• 8 February – Kemmerich resigns as the Thuringian Minister President.
• 19 February – Hanau shootings
• 20 February – 70th Berlin International Film Festival
• 21 February
  • Beginning of IBSF World Championships 2020
  • Beginning of 2020 Judo Grand Slam Düsseldorf
• 22 February – 2020 German Indoor Athletics Championships
• 23 February – 2020 Hamburg state election: the SPD remains in first place with 39% of the vote. ^[4]
• 24 February – Volkmarsen ramming attack
• 26 February – Beginning of 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

March

• 9 March – First death in Essen in COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
• 12 March – The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) classified the Flügel a far-right faction within Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) as "a right-wing extremist endeavor against the free democratic basic order" that was incompatible with Germany's Basic Law, and placed the group under intelligence surveillance. ^{[5] [6] [7]}
• 16 March – COVID-19 pandemic in Germany; All schools in Germany are closed

April

• 20 April – 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany, Germany reopens shops with cloth face mask restriction for buyers, but Chancellor Angela Merkel warns of a second coronavirus wave in the country in autumn 2020. ^[8]
• 30 April – 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany - After a summit between Angela Merkel and state leaders, the federal government allowed opening of museums, monuments, botanical gardens and zoos, and religious services under strict social distancing conditions. ^[9]

May

• 5 May – German Bundesverfassungsgericht decided, that the expanded asset-purchase programme (EAPP) since 2015 by European Central Bank violates German law. ^{[10] [11]}
• 7 May – German parliament Bundestag bans conversion therapy for those under 18 years nationwide and forbids advertising of conversion therapy. It also forbids conversion therapy for adults, if they decided by force, fraud or pressure. ^[12]
• 15 May – Germany's Bundestag votes to make the burning of the EU flag or that of another country a hate crime equivalent to that of burning the German flag - carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison. The only major party that opposed the move was the right-wing Alternative for Germany. ^[13]

July

• 21 July – The government of Baden-Württemberg bans full-face coverings burqas, niqabs for all school children. the rule will apply to primary and secondary education. Winfried Kretschmann the Ministers-President said that full-face veiling did not belong in a free society. ^{[14] [15]}

August

• 22 August – Alexai Navalny, a seriously ill Russian opposition leader, is taken to Berlin for treatment. ^[16]
• 29 August – hundreds of protesters try to storm the Reichstag. Early in the day tens of thousands protested against government measures for the coronavirus. ^{[17] [18] [19] [20]}

September

• 2 September – The German government claims to have "unequivocal proof" that Alexai Navalny was poisoned with Novichok. ^[21]
• 3 September – 2020 Solingen killings ^[22]

October

• 4 October – 2020 Dresden knife attack.

December

• 1 December – 2020 Trier attack.

Deaths

January

Hans Tilkowski in 2005

Wolfgang J. Fuchs in 2019

• 2 January – Veronika Fitz, actress (b. 1936).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 4 January – Herbert Binkert, footballer (b. 1923).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 5 January – Hans Tilkowski, footballer (b. 1935) ^[23]
• 10 January – Wolfgang Dauner, jazz pianist (b. 1935) ^[24]
• 11 January – Sabine Deitmer, author (b. 1947).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 13 January – Sophie Kratzer, ice hockey forward (b. 1989).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 16 January – Maik Hamburger, translator, writer and dramaturge (b. 1931).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 20 January – Wolfgang J. Fuchs, author and journalist (b. 1945).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 21 January
  • Herbert Baumann, composer (b. 1925).^{[ citation needed ]}
  • Hermann Korte, academic specialising in German literature (b. 1949).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 23 January – Gudrun Pausewang, writer (b. 1928) ^[25]
• 24 January – Martin Matschinsky-Denninghoff, sculptor (b. 1921).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 29 January
  • Othmar Mága, dirigent (b. 1929).^{[ citation needed ]}
  • Christoph Meckel, author (b. 1935).^{[ citation needed ]}

February

Sonja Ziemann in 2006

• 4 February – Volker David Kirchner, violist and composer (b. 1942). ^[26]
• 7 February – Lucille Eichengreen, Holocaust survivor and memoirist (b. 1925). ^[27]
• 8 February – Volker Spengler, actor (b. 1939). ^[28]
• 9 February – Karl-Heinz Rädler, astrophysicist (b. 1935).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 11 February – Joseph Vilsmaier, film director (b. 1939). ^[29]
• 12 February – Hansjoachim Linde, inspector general (b. 1926). ^[30]
• 14 February – Alwin Brück, politician (b. 1931). ^[31]
• 15 February – Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth, businessman (b. 1930). ^[32]
• 17 February
  • Ror Wolf, writer and poet (b. 1932). ^[33]
  • Sonja Ziemann, actress (b. 1926). ^[34]
• 20 February – Peter Dreher, painter (b. 1932). ^[35]
• 26 February – Hans Deinzer, clarinetist (b. 1934). ^[36]
• 27 February – Burkhard Driest, actor, writer and director (b. 1936).^{[ citation needed ]}

March

Susan Weinert in 2002

Alfred Gomolka

• 1 March – Carsten Bresch, physicist and geneticist (b. 1921). ^[37]
• 2 March
  • Tabea Blumenschein, actress (b. 1952). ^[38]
  • Viktor Josef Dammertz, Roman Catholic prelate (b. 1929). ^[39]
  • Ulay, performance artist (b. 1943). ^[40]
  • Susan Weinert, guitarist (b. 1965). ^[41]
  • Peter Wieland, singer and entertainer (b. 1930). ^[42]
• 3 March
  • Freimut Duve, politician and author (b. 1936). ^[43]
  • Günther Müller, conductor (b. 1925).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 9 March – Dietmar Rothermund, historian (b. 1933).
• 11 March – Burkhard Hirsch, politician (b. 1930). ^[44]
• 12 March – Wolfgang Hofmann, judoka (b. 1941). ^[45]
• 13 March – Giwi Margwelaschwili, German-Georgian writer and philosopher (b. 1927). ^[46]
• 21 March – Hellmut Stern, violinist (b. 1928) ^[47]
• 24 March – Alfred Gomolka, politician (CDU) (b. 1942).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 26 March – Rolf Huisgen, chemist (b. 1920).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 28 March – Thomas Schäfer, politician (b. 1966).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 31 March – Reimar Lüst, astrophysicist (b. 1923). ^[48]

April

Ulrich Kienzle

Norbert Blüm

• 1 April – Rüdiger Nehberg, human rights activist and survival expert (b. 1935). ^[49]
• 2 April – Oskar Fischer, politician (b. 1923). ^[50]
• 12 April – Sascha Hupmann, basketball player (b. 1970).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 16 April – Ulrich Kienzle, journalist and author (b. 1936).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 19 April – Margit Otto-Crépin, equestrian (b. 1945). ^[51]
• 20 April – Hein Bollow, jockey (b. 1920) ^[52]
• 21 April – Florian Schneider, musician (b. 1947) ^[53]
• 22 April – Hartwig Gauder, race walker (b. 1954) ^[54]
• 23 April – Norbert Blüm, politician (b. 1935).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 30 April – Gerhard Zebrowski, footballer (b. 1940).^{[ citation needed ]}

May

• 1 May
  • Judith Esser-Mittag, German gynecologist (b. 1921) ^[55]
  • Sabine Zimmermann, TV host (b. 1951).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 6 May – Herbert Frankenhauser, politician (CSU) (b. 1945).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 8 May – Roy Horn, German-American magician and entertainer (b. 1944) ^[56]
• 12 May
  • Astrid Kirchherr, photograph and artist (b. 1938) ^[57]
  • Hans-Peter Naumann, philologist (b. 1933).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 13 May – Rolf Hochhuth, author and playwright (b. 1931) ^[58]
• 17 May
  • Hermann Fellner, politician (CSU) (b. 1952).^{[ citation needed ]}
  • Hans-Joachim Gelberg, writer and publisher of children's books (b. 1930).^{[ citation needed ]}
  • Peter Thomas, film music composer (b. 1925).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 21 May – Julitta Münch, journalist (b. 1959).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 25 May – Renate Krößner, actress (b. 1945).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 26 May – Irm Hermann, actress (b. 1942). ^[59]

June

• 1 June – Christoph Sydow, journalist (b. 1985).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 5 June
  • Werner Böhm, musician and singer (b. 1941).^{[ citation needed ]}
  • Friedrich Stelzner, academic surgeon, scientist and educator (b. 1921).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 6 June – Dietmar Seyferth, chemist (b. 1929).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 7 June – Bettina Heinen-Ayech, painter (b. 1937).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 8 June – Klaus Berger, Roman Catholic theologian (b. 1940).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 10 June
  • Hans Cieslarczyk, football player (b. 1937).^{[ citation needed ]}
  • Hans Mezger, automobile engineer (b. 1929).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 11 June – Hermann Salomon, javelin thrower (b. 1938). ^[60]
• 15 June – Anton Schlembach, Roman Catholic bishop (b. 1932).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 18 June
  • Claus Biederstaedt, actor (b. 1928).^{[ citation needed ]}
  • Anna Blume, photograph (b. 1936).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 25 June – Peter E. Toschek, experimental physicist (b. 1935).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 26 June – Katrin Beinroth, judoka (b. 1981).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 29 June – Gernot Endemann, film and television actor (b. 1942).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 30 June – Ludwig Finscher, musicologist (b. 1930).^{[ citation needed ]}

July

Hans-Jochen Vogel

• 1 July – Georg Ratzinger, Roman Catholic priest and musician (b. 1924).^{[ citation needed ]}
• 2 July – Tilo Prückner, German television and film actor. (b. 1940)
• 5 July – Willi Holdorf, German football player (b. 1940) ^[61]
• 26 July – Hans-Jochen Vogel, lawyer and politician (b. 1926). ^[62]

August

• 3 August – Ralf Metzenmacher, German painter and designer (b. 1964) ^[63]
• 7 August – Fred Stillkrauth, German actor (b. 1939)
• 13 August – Bernd Fischer, German mathematician (b. 1936)
• 16 August – Georg Volkert, German football player (b. 1945)
• 28 August
  • Wolfgang Stahl, German spectroscopist (b. 1956)
  • Uli Stein, German artist (b. 1946) ^[64]
• 30 August – Ingrid Stahmer, Geram politician (SPD) (b. 1942)

September

Wolfgang Clement

• 18 September – Joachim Kunert, German film director and screenwriter (b. 1929)
• 22 September – Michael Gwisdek, German actor and film director (b. 1942)
• 24 September – Gerry Weber, German designer and entrepreneur (b. 1941)
• 27 September – Wolfgang Clement, German politician (b. 1940)

October

• 1 October – Otfried Nassauer, German journalist (b. 1956)
• 2 October – Heinz Kördell, German football player (b. 1932)
• 4 October – Günter de Bruyn, German writer (b. 1926) ^[65]
• 6 October
  • Folker Bohnet, German actor and theatre director (b. 1937)
  • Herbert Feuerstein, German comedian (b. 1937)
• 15 October – Tom Maschler, German-born British publisher, founder of the Booker Prize (b. 1933). ^[66]
• 25 October – Thomas Oppermann, German politician (b. 1954)

November

• 14 November – Peter Pagé, German computer scientist (b. 1939)
• 15 November – Rudolf Kippenhahn, German astrophysicist (b. 1926) ^[67]

December

• 12 December – Jack Steinberger, German-born American Nobel physicist (b. 1921) ^[68]

References

1. "Germany and Berlin to host men's European Olympic qualifier!". CEV. 29 August 2019.
2. "Four Hills Tournament / Overall Standings". FIS. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
3. "2020 EuroHockey Indoor Championships". eurohockey.org. EHF. 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
4. "Hamburg-Wahl 2020: Katastrophe für FDP besiegelt - Merz spricht von "Desaster" für CDU (in German)". Merkur.de. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
5. Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz stuft AfD-Teilorganisation "Der Flügel" als gesichert rechtsextremistische Bestrebung ein Archived 18 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine [The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD sub-organization "The Wing" as a right-wing extremist endeavor] (press release), Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (March 12, 2020).
6. "Verfassungsschutz stuft "Flügel" als rechtsextrem ein". Der Spiegel (in German). 12 March 2020.
7. Katrin Bennhold, Germany Places Part of Far-Right Party Under Surveillance Archived 3 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine , New York Times (March 12, 2020).
8. "Germany takes tentative steps back to normality as lockdown eases". the Guardian. 20 April 2020.
9. "Telefonschaltkonferenz der Bundeskanzlerin mit den Regierungschefinnen und Regierungschefs der Länder am 30 April 2020". Die Bundeskanzlerin (in German). Retrieved 7 May 2020.
10. Jura-Online: Paukenschlag aus Karlsruhe Archived 23 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine (german), May 5, 2020
11. Merkur.de: EZB hält trotz Urteil an Anleihenkäufen fest - Merkel spricht von "heikler Lage" Archived 27 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine , May 5, 2020
12. Bundestag.de: Bundestag verbietet Therapien zur "Heilung" von Homosexualität (german) Archived 1 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine , May 7, 2020
13. "Burning EU and other flags can now bring German jail term". BBC News. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
14. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "German state bans burqas, niqabs in schools | DW | 21.07.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
15. "Children banned from wearing burkas at school in German state". Metro. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
16. "Alexei Navalny: Putin critic arrives in Germany for medical treatment". BBC News. 22 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
17. "'Anti-corona' extremists try to storm German parliament". the Guardian. Associated Press. 29 August 2020.
18. "Germany coronavirus: Anger after attempt to storm parliament". BBC News. 30 August 2020.
19. "Police disperse tens of thousands at controversial German protest". www.9news.com.au.
20. "German leaders slam extremists who rushed Reichstag steps | DW | 30.08.2020". DW.COM.
21. "Alexei Navalny: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok - Germany". BBC News. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
22. "Germany children deaths: Bodies of five found in flat in Solingen". BBC News. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
23. "Wembley goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski is dead". Archived from the original on 8 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
24. Schleider, Tim (10 January 2020). "Stuttgarter Jazzlegende / Wolfgang Dauner ist tot". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 13 January 2020.
25. Zeitung, Süddeutsche. "Schriftstellerin Gudrun Pausewang ist tot". Süddeutsche.de. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020.
26. "Mainzer Komponist Volker David Kirchner gestorben" [composer Volker David Kirchner died] (in German).
27. "Nie żyje Lucille Eichengreen, Ocalała z łódzkiego getta" [Lucille Eichengreen, survivor of the Łódź ghetto, is deadLucille Eichengreen, survivor of the Łódź ghetto, is dead] (in Polish). 8 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
28. "Volker Spengler ist gestorben" [Volker Spengler has died] (in German). 8 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
29. "Joseph Vilsmaier ist tot" [Joseph Vilsmaier is dead] (in German). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
30. Dr. med. Hansjoachim Linde Archived 22 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine (in German)
31. "SPD-Politiker Alwin Brück ist tot" [SPD politician Alwin Brück is dead] (in German). 16 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
32. Acker, Michael (19 February 2020). "Herrmannsdorf-Gründer Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth ist tot - sein Werk wird weiterleben" [Herrmannsdorf founder Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth is dead - his work will live on] (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
33. "Schriftsteller Ror Wolf gestorben" [writer Ror Wolf died] (in German). 18 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
34. "Sonja Ziemann gestorben" [Sonja Ziemann died] (in German). 19 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
35. "Maler Peter Dreher gestorben: Bilderserie "Tag um Tag guter Tag" bekanntestes Werk" [Painter Peter Dreher died: picture series "Day after day, good day" best known work] (in German). 20 February 2020. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
36. "Prof. Hans Deinzer verstorben" [Prof. Hans Deinzer passed away] (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
37. "Das Institut trauert um Carsten Bresch" [The Institute mourns the murder of Carsten Bresch] (in German). Archived from the original on 9 March 2020.
38. "Berliner Abschweifungen" [Berlin digressions] (in German). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
39. "Früherer Bischof Viktor Josef Dammertz ist tot" [Former Bishop Viktor Josef Dammertz is dead] (in German). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
40. "È morto Ulay: è la fine di un'epoca. Se ne va una delle colonne della performing art" [Ulay is dead: it's the end of an era. One of the columns of the performing art goes away] (in Italian). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
41. "Susan Weinert ist tot" [Susan Weinert is dead] (in German). Saarbrücker Zeitung. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
42. "Peter Wieland mit 89 Jahren gestorben" [Peter Wieland died at the age of 89] (in German). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
43. Mangold, Ijoma (4 March 2020). "Der Intellektuelle als Politiker, der Politiker als Intellektueller" [The intellectual as a politician, the politician as an intellectual]. Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
44. "Die Hochschule trauert um ihren Ehrenbürger Dr. Dr. h.c. Burkhard Hirsch" [The university mourns the loss of its honorary citizen Dr. Dr. hc Burkhard Hirsch]. Hochschule Düsseldorf (in German). 12 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
45. "Judo-Deutschland trauert um Wolfgang Hofmann" [Judo Germany mourns Wolfgang Hofmann]. Deutscher Judo-Bund (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2020.
46. "Giwi Margwelaschwili ist tot" [Giwi Margwelaschwili is dead] (in German). 13 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
47. Peitz, Christiane (22 March 2020). "Der musizierende Weltbürger". Der Tagesspiegel (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2020.
48. "Souveräner Steuermann der Wissenschaft" [Sovereign helmsman of science] (in German). 31 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
49. "Rüdiger Nehberg's dead: Survival expert and activist dies aged 84". 3 April 2020. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
50. "Langjähriger DDR-Außenminister Oskar Fischer gestorben". Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
51. "Olympedia – Margit Otto-Crépin". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
52. Adam, Thomas (20 April 2020). "Turf-Legende Hein Bollow mit 99 Jahren verstorben - GaloppOnline.de". galopponline.de (in German). Retrieved 5 October 2025.
53. "Kraftwerk Co-Founder Florian Schneider Dies at Age 73". Billboard.
54. "Medienbericht - DDR-Olympia-Held Hartwig Gauder (65) tot!". bild.de.
55. "Dr. med. Judith Esser Mittag Obituary". 9 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
56. McFadden, Robert D. (8 May 2020). "Roy Horn, Illusionist Who Dazzled Audiences as Half of Siegfried & Roy, Dies at 75". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
57. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (15 May 2020). "Beatles photographer Astrid Kirchherr dies aged 81". The Guardian.
58. Zeitung, Süddeutsche. "Literatur - Dramatiker Rolf Hochhuth ist tot". Süddeutsche.de.
59. "The departed: the filmmakers we lost in 2020". BFI. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
60. "Olympedia – Hermann Salomon". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
61. "Im Alter von 80 Jahren: Zehnkampf-Olympiasieger Holdorf gestorben". RP ONLINE. 6 July 2020.
62. "Germany: Ex-SPD leader Hans-Jochen Vogel dies | DW | 26.07.2020". DW.COM.
63. "Bamberg trauert um den Pinselartisten: Ralf Metzenmacher ist tot". Frankische Nacht (in German). 4 August 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
64. "Cartoonist Uli Stein ist tot". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). 4 September 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
65. SPIEGEL, DER (8 October 2020). "Günter de Bruyn ist tot - DER SPIEGEL - Kultur". Der Spiegel.
66. Thomson, Liz (16 October 2020). "Tom Maschler obituary". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 17 October 2020.
67. "Rudolf Kippenhahn (24.5.1926 – 15.11.2020)". www.mpa-garching.mpg.de. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
68. "Erinnerungen an einen besonderen Kissinger". mainpost.de. 15 December 2020.