BREAKING Thousands Join Germany's March for Life in Berlin and Cologne with Many Youth and Bishops Participating

The 22nd March for Life in Berlin and fourth March for Life in Cologne, organized by the Federal Association for the Right to Life took place on September 18, 2026. This is Germany's second major March for Life in 2026; in southern Germany, Munich held its march in April with about 10,000 participants.

In total, well over 6,000 people (4,200 in Berlin, 2,100 in Cologne) of all generations took to the streets today to advocate for the right to life of every human being from conception to natural death. Among them were representatives of many churches and organizations, including Bishops Voderholzer, Oster, and Bishop Emeritus Hanke, as well as Auxiliary Bishops Wörner, Schwaderlapp, and Graf, and the board of the German Evangelical Alliance. They experienced large, life-affirming events featuring expert information and personal testimonies. 

Several bishops sent messages of greeting in the run-up to this year's demonstrations, including Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne.

Bishops such as Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg and Stefan Oster of Passau also participated. Oster told the "Passauer Bistumsblatt" that the Church must be "guardian of the human person and their dignity".

Former Bishop Gregor Maria Hanke of Eichstätt gave a blessing for the participants' travels in Berlin at the end of the event.

The chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Heiner Wilmer, had declared in a greeting beforehand : "Those who want to protect human life cannot simultaneously play people off against each other, exclude them, or relativize their dignity." Human dignity includes the protection of unborn children as well as caring for sick and elderly people, accompanying the dying, rejecting the death penalty, supporting people in need, and advocating for peace and reconciliation.

In Cologne, Markus Voss (Bibelfit) spoke about the important, yet often neglected, role of the father in high-risk pregnancies. Many men shirk their responsibility, while simultaneously having no say in the decision for or against the child. Mona Schwaderlapp, the main organizer of the BVL (Federal Association for Life) in Cologne, called for commitment to the right to life, which everyone can put into practice in their daily lives. Ludwig Brühl, a board member of ALfA eV, highlighted the dangers of so-called "surrogacy," both for the children and for the women. This current and important topic was also addressed in Berlin by a lecture from Cornelia Kaminski, ALfA's national chairwoman. She emphasized that the child must be the central focus, not the wishes of adults. Former member of parliament and bioethics expert Hubert Hüppe pointed out where human dignity is particularly at risk or disregarded at the beginning and end of life. "Inclusion must be implemented even before birth," he said, referring to the many children with Down syndrome who do not "suffer" from it, but simply "have" it and have the same right to life as everyone else. Previously, Alexandra Maria Linder, chairwoman of the BVL and moderator of the panel, emphasized the foundations of democracy: "Democracy means universal human dignity, the right to life from conception to natural death, and the prohibition of killing the innocent." Loneliness, unstable relationships, and fears of war and economic crisis are increasingly leading to isolation. And people who are alone, without communication or support, face even greater pressure from others in difficult life situations such as unexpected pregnancy, suicidal thoughts, illness, and the dying process, making it impossible for them to make truly autonomous and self-determined decisions.
The importance of providing personal and intensive support was also emphasized by Jor-El Godsey, President of Heartbeat International, who spoke about the significance of comprehensive and respectful pregnancy counseling. Heartbeat International is one of the largest counseling organizations for pregnancy-related conflicts worldwide. The international networking of the pro-life movement is also evident. This was also evident in the appearance of young pro-life activists from Romania, Italy, and France. Teodora Paul, Olimpia Galiberti, and Clotilde Chompret reported on the state of bioethics and their work. Roxane Köhler, chairwoman of Youth for Life, who co-moderated the event, called on the participants to engage in year-round activism. Medical student Roberta Acquaah (Königlicht Poetry), with her poetry slam "I Want to Live," put herself in the shoes of an unborn child and made a passionate plea for personal commitment to the pro-life cause.

The March for Life takes place every September to raise public awareness of the importance of and the threats to universal human dignity. The next March for Life in Berlin and Cologne is on September 18th.

Sources - https://bundesverband-lebensrecht.de/demokratie-bedeutet-universale-menschenwuerde-lebensrecht-von-der-zeugung-bis-zum-natuerlichen-tod-und-toetungsverbot-unschuldiger/

https://katholisch.de/artikel/70408-von-protesten-begleitet-tausende-menschen-beim-marsch-fuer-das-leben

Image - Bundesverband-lebensrecht.de https://x.com/BVLebensrecht/status/2100872283170431146/photo/1