Number of working pensioners at record level
In Germany, more than 1.1 million people over 67 are employed—more than ever before. This number has quadrupled over the past two decades.
The number of working pensioners in Germany has reached a record high. According to the Federal Statistical Office, more than 1.1 million people aged 67 and over were still employed last year, as reported by the magazine "Stern" citing an inquiry from the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). This was more working pensioners than ever before and 51,000 more than in 2023.
Compared to 2004, the number has quadrupled. Back then, 288,000 people aged 67 and over were still employed. The number of pensioners, however, increased only slightly over the same period: in 2004, it was 19.6 million, and last year, it was 21.4 million.
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann recently sparked a debate with his statement that retirees in Germany work too little. BSW head Sahra Wagenknecht accused Linnemann of "mocking" retirees. "Today, more retirees are working than ever before," Wagenknecht told Stern.
While it would be good if companies increasingly drew on the skills of older workers, not everyone would work longer hours for financial reasons. "The quadrupling of the numbers shows, however, that hundreds of thousands of seniors are simply forced to supplement their meager salaries," Wagenknecht said.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
