Skip to content

Here are 10 things Germans fear the most

Have you ever wondered what keeps the Germans awake at night? What makes them shiver? This is what the Germans fear the most.

Financial worries top the German list of worries

Despite the fact that we have been struggling with the coronavirus and its consequences for two years , what makes Germans sleepy in 2021 are financial problems, not health problems, according to an annual survey conducted for one of the largest German insurance companies, R + V Versicherung.

10 things the Germans fear the most

The annual R + V survey asked respondents what they fear most since 1992, covering topics such as politics, economics, environment, health and family.

The annual survey helps the insurance company to consider important aspects related to risk assessment. This year, researchers surveyed 2,400 people aged 14 and over between the end of May and the beginning of July 2021.

10 things Germans fear the most by percentage of respondents, according to the R + V survey:

  1. Tax increases due to COVID – 53%
  2. Rising cost of living – 50 percent
  3. Tax increases due to EU debt – 50%
  4. Refugees – 45 percent
  5. Contaminants in food – 43 percent
  6. Care for the elderly – 43 percent
  7. Conflicts related to migration – 42%
  8. Natural disasters – 41 percent
  9. Politicians – 41 percent
  10. Deterioration of the economy – 40 percent

Germany is afraid of tax increases

Brigitte Römstedt, head of the R + V unit responsible for the study, explained why the financial concerns are so frightening to Germans compared to the health problems associated with the coronavirus. “The debt that has built up at federal, union and local levels to deal with the coronavirus pandemic is the biggest worry for Germany this year,” she said. “People keep thinking about illness aside. When it comes to money, in my experience too, the fears are always very great ”.

Financial worries dominate the top half of the list, and Germany is equally concerned about rising living costs and tax increases due to the EU’s debt. The percentage of people concerned about these problems has remained largely the same as in last year’s ranking. However, fears about the country’s economy have eased somewhat since last year, when business was threatened in several industries due to roadblocks. Back then, 48 percent of people said they were worried about the fourth-placed economy.

Refugees and climate change are also a concern

The fear of refugees overloading the state once again made it to the top ten, even though there was no large influx of refugees in 2021.

The study also found that natural disasters and climate change were among the top ten worries for Germans (41 percent). Note that the study was conducted before the floods in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate earlier this summer. Another study was conducted at the end of July. In this survey, 69 percent of respondents indicated their fear of natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, while 61 percent of respondents believed that climate change had dramatic consequences for mankind. According to Römstedt, the fear levels increased, “because people saw disturbing photos of the flood-affected areas every day.”

Pragmatic Germans with their fears

Germans are quite pragmatic about their fears and worries. “In the years since I led the study, one thing has become clear to me: the often cited term” German anxiety “is fundamentally wrong. The Germans are not afraid, ”explained Römstedt.

Research has shown that Germany is responding to real threats. For example, fear of terrorism skyrocketed after September 11, 2001, fear of unemployment rose after mass layoffs, and environmental concerns rose after the floods earlier this year. “As threats recede, fears also diminish,” said Römstedt.

source: Iamexpat.de