Thousands of pro-life demonstrators gathered in Berlin and Cologne on Saturday, September 19, for Germany’s annual March for Life. Held simultaneously in both cities for the fourth time, the event drew an estimated combined turnout of over 6,000 participants, according to the organizing umbrella group Bundesverband Lebensrecht. Rallying under the core message that “the right to life is a human right,” participants across generations marched to advocate for human dignity from conception to natural death.
The march in Cologne, organized by 27-year-old occupational therapist Mona Schwaderlapp, drew thousands through the city center starting at Neumarkt Square. Despite the largely peaceful progression, counter-protesters attempted to disrupt the event. Attackers disguised in march vests threw paint at a pro-life information booth, detonated purple smoke bombs, and attempted sit-ins along the route. Cologne police monitored the demonstrations with drones and noted that one counter-protester faces criminal charges for property damage after spraying paint on a banner.
Speakers at the events addressed key ethical issues beyond abortion, notably taking a strong stand against commercial surrogacy. During the Cologne rally, Ludwig Brühl of Aktion Lebensrecht für Alle warned that surrogacy services were being actively offered in the city center, detailing undercover investigations into organizations profiting off legal loopholes. In Berlin, Bundesverband Lebensrecht President Cornelia Kaminski also spoke out against surrogacy, while organizational head Alexandra Linder emphasized that true democracy relies on universal human dignity and the absolute right to life.
The national event drew notable support from Catholic church leaders. Auxiliary Bishop Dominikus Schwaderlapp joined the march in Cologne, while five Bavarian bishops—including Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg and Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau—participated in person at the Berlin demonstration. Other prelates sent written messages of solidarity, affirming the marchers’ mission to protect vulnerable human life at every stage.