German as a Foreign Language

In 2010, Netzwerk Deutsch carried out a statistical analysis of the position the German language enjoys in the world. Overall, the number of people learning German has dropped in the last five years, but in many countries the numbers are on the rise.

Netzwerk Deutsch consists of representatives from the Federal Foreign Office, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Goethe-Institut and the Federal Office of Administration – Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA). Together they publish a comprehensive statistical summary every five years on the subject of German as a foreign language. In 2010 the number of people in the world learning German totaled 14,042,789 – 2,675,912 fewer than in 2005. The largest drop came in countries of the former Eastern Block where until early 2000 the demand for German was exceptionally high.

Admittedly, English is increasingly outstripping German as the first foreign language to learn in those areas,s and since 2000 the number of people studying German has dropped continually in Central and Eastern Europe. However, German is still the most important second language in a number of countries, and on a European-wide level the numbers have remained stable. The number of adults learning German has also remained the same, and on all of the world’s continents there are countries with rising numbers of people wanting to test their skills with the language.

Advertising works

Interestingly enough, the number of people studying German has risen in countries where learning German as a foreign language is being actively advertised. Since 2005, for example, the numbers in Italy have gone up by 141,000, in Poland by 137,000 and in Greece by nearly 37,000. In France the advertising is working as well. For nearly ten years the numbers were dropping, but in 2010 they have stabilized for the first time at 1,037,885 students of German language.

Education policy and globalization

In many countries, education policy has had a big influence on the shift in the position of the German language. For instance, fewer students learn it if there is only one foreign language required in school. In that case, most students choose English, like in Russia where the number of German students dropped by nearly a million over the period in question. On the other hand, in countries that require students to learn more than one foreign language, German appears to still have a bright future.

A new opportunity for German has revealed itself in childhood education. Increasing numbers of countries are moving foreign-language studies ahead for younger children, namely to kindergarten and primary school ages. The statistics show that there is clear potential here for establishing or expanding German as a foreign language.

The economic and cultural significance as well as its central location in Europe make Germany and its language an attractive option. The significance of a foreign language within the context of globalization can be seen in a number of countries. In Brazil, for example, the number of German students has increased dramatically. In many South American countries the statistics show that the future for German as a foreign language looks positive indeed.

Still to be done

The activities of global development organizations and their international partners can make meaningful contributions to maintaining and promoting interest in the German language. In addition to existing language initiatives such as the large-scale Partner Schools Initiative (PASCH), education policies also need to be set in motion. In order to secure the German language’s position in the world it will be necessary that a second foreign language be required in schools around the world. To make that a reality, the financial support for German as a foreign language needs to help create a closer connection between the significance of foreign languages in education and the public relations efforts regarding language in general.

Keep in mind that the statistics regarding the German language in the world only relate to people who are currently learning German, not those who can already speak it. The number of people taking classes at the Goethe-Institut was not included. It is also important to note that the statistics say nothing about the quality or frequency of the German classes in the various countries. The data evaluated in the study is based on information from official sources or estimates made by experts in the region in question. For countries with no figures and where no realistic estimates could be made, there are no statistics available.