2020 in Germany

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2020 History of Germany  • Timeline  • Years

Events in the year 2020 in Germany.

Incumbents

• President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier
• Chancellor: Angela Merkel

Events

January

• 5 January – Beginning of Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's European qualification[1]
• 6 January – End of 2019–20 Four Hills Tournament
• 17 January – Beginning of 2020 Men's EuroHockey Indoor Nations Championship[2]
• 20 January – Beginning of 2020 German Masters
• 21 February – 2020 Junior World Luge Championships
• 24 January – 2020 Rot am See shooting
• 27 January – First infection in Bavaria of COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

February

• 19 February – Hanau shootings
• 20 February – 70th Berlin International Film Festival
• 21 February – Beginning of IBSF World Championships 2020
• 21 February – Beginning of 2020 Judo Grand Slam Düsseldorf
• 22 February – 2020 German Indoor Athletics Championships
• 23 February – 2020 Hamburg state election
• 24 February – Volkmarsen ramming attack
• 26 February – Beginning of 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships

March

• 9 March – First death in Essen in COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
• 12 March – The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) classified the Flügel a far-right faction within Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) as "a right-wing extremist endeavor against the free democratic basic order" that was incompatible with Germany's Basic Law, and placed the group under intelligence surveillance.[3][4][5]
• 16 March – COVID-19 pandemic in Germany; All schools in Germany are closed

April

• 20 April – 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany, Germany reopens shops with cloth face mask restriction for buyers, but Chancellor Angela Merkel warns of a second coronavirus wave in the country in autumn 2020.[6]
• 30 April – 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany - After a summit between Angela Merkel and state leader, the federal government allowed opening of museums, monuments, botanical gardens and zoos, and religious services under strict social distancing conditions.[7]

May

• 5 May – German Bundesverfassungsgericht decided, that the expanded asset-purchase programme (EAPP) since 2015 by European Central Bank violates German law.[8][9]
• 7 May – German parliament Bundestag banned nationwide conversion therapy for minors until 18 years and forbids advertising of conversion therapy. It also forbids conversion therapy for adults, if they decided by force, fraud or pressure.[10]
• 15 May – Germany's Bundestag voted to make the burning of the EU flag or that of another country a hate crime equivalent to that of burning the German flag - carrying a sentence of up to three years in prison. The only major party that opposed the move was the right-wing Alternative for Germany.[11]

July

• 21 July – The government of Baden-Württemberg bans full-face coverings burqas, niqabs for all school children. the rule will apply to primary and secondary education. Winfried Kretschmann the Ministers-President said that full-face veiling did not belong in a free society.[12][13]

August

• 22 August – Alexai Navalny, a seriously ill Russian opposition leader, is taken to Berlin for treatment.[14]
• 29 August – hundreds of protesters try to storm the Reichstag. Early in the day tens of thousands protested against government measures for the coronavirus.[15][16][17][18]

September

• 2 September – The German government claims to have "unequivocal proof" that Alexai Navalny was poisoned with Novichok.[19]
• 3 September – 2020 Solingen killings

October

• 4 October - 2020 Dresden knife attack

Deaths

January

Hans Tilkowski in 2005

Wolfgang J. Fuchs in 2019

• 2 January – Veronika Fitz, actress (b. 1936).
• 4 January – Herbert Binkert, footballer (b. 1923).
• 5 January – Hans Tilkowski, footballer (b. 1935).
• 11 January – Sabine Deitmer, author (b. 1947).
• 13 January – Sophie Kratzer, ice hockey forward (b. 1989).
• 16 January – Maik Hamburger, translator, writer and dramaturge (b. 1931).
• 20 January – Wolfgang J. Fuchs, author and journalist (b. 1945).
• 21 January
  • Herbert Baumann, composer (b. 1925).
  • Hermann Korte, academic specialising in German literature (b. 1949).
• 23 January – Gudrun Pausewang, writer (b. 1928).
• 24 January – Martin Matschinsky-Denninghoff, sculptor (b. 1921).
• 29 January
  • Othmar Mága, dirigent (b. 1929).
  • Christoph Meckel, author (b. 1935).

February

Sonja Ziemann in 2006

• 4 February – Volker David Kirchner, violist and composer (b. 1942).[20]
• 7 February – Lucille Eichengreen, Holocaust survivor and memoirist (b. 1925).[21]
• 8 February – Volker Spengler, actor (b. 1939).[22]
• 9 February – Karl-Heinz Rädler, astrophysicist (b. 1935).
• 11 February – Joseph Vilsmaier, film director (b. 1939).[23]
• 12 February – Hansjoachim Linde, inspector general (b. 1926).[24]
• 14 February – Alwin Brück, politician (b. 1931).[25]
• 15 February – Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth, businessman (b. 1930).[26]
• 17 February
  • Ror Wolf, writer and poet (b. 1932).[27]
  • Sonja Ziemann, actress (b. 1926).[28]
• 20 February – Peter Dreher, painter (b. 1932).[29]
• 25 February – Marie-Luise Nikuta, singer (b. 1938).
• 26 February – Hans Deinzer, clarinetist (b. 1934).[30]
• 27 February – Burkhard Driest, actor, writer and director (b. 1936).

March

Susan Weinert in 2002

Alfred Gomolka

• 1 March
  • Carsten Bresch, physicist and geneticist (b. 1921).[31]
  • Peter Wieland, singer and entertainer (b. 1930).[32]
• 2 March
  • Tabea Blumenschein, actress (b. 1952).[33]
  • Viktor Josef Dammertz, Roman Catholic prelate (b. 1929).[34]
  • Ulay, performance artist (b. 1943).[35]
  • Susan Weinert, guitarist (b. 1965).[36]
  • Peter Wieland, singer (b. 1930).
• 3 March
  • Freimut Duve, politician and author (b. 1936).[37]
  • Günther Müller, conductor (b. 1925).
• 9 March – Dietmar Rothermund, historian (b. 1933).
• 11 March – Burkhard Hirsch, politician (b. 1930).[38]
• 12 March – Wolfgang Hofmann, jodoka (b. 1941).[39]
• 13 March – Giwi Margwelaschwili, German-Georgian writer and philosopher (b. 1927).[40]
• 21 March – Hellmut Stern, violonist (b. 1928).
• 24 March – Alfred Gomolka, politician (CDU) (b. 1942).
• 26 March – Rolf Huisgen, chemist (b. 1920).
• 28 March – Thomas Schäfer, politician (b. 1966).
• 31 March – Reimar Lüst, astrophysicist (b. 1923).[41]

April

Ulrich Kienzle

Norbert Blüm

• 1 April – Rüdiger Nehberg, human rights activist and survival expert (b. 1935).[42]
• 2 April – Oskar Fischer, politician (b. 1923).[43]
• 12 April – Sascha Hupmann, basketball player (b. 1970).
• 16 April – Ulrich Kienzle, journalist and author (b. 1936).
• 19 April – Margit Otto-Crépin, equestrian (b. 1945).
• 22 April – Hartwig Gauder, race walker (b. 1954).
• 23 April – Norbert Blüm, politician (b. 1935).
• 30 April
  • Florian Schneider, musician (b. 1947).
  • Gerhard Zebrowski, footballer (b. 1940).

May

• 1 May – Sabine Zimmermann, TV host (b. 1951).
• 6 May – Herbert Frankenhauser, politician (CSU) (b. 1945).
• 8 May
  • Roy Horn, German-American magician and entertainer (b. 1944).
  • Waldemar Otto, sculptor (b. 1929).
  • Christoph Wetzel, writer (b. 1944).
• 12 May
  • Astrid Kirchherr, photograph and artist (b. 1938).
  • Hans-Peter Naumann, philogist (b. 1933).
  • Manfred Stelzer, film director (b. 1944).
• 16 May – Reinhard Wosniak, writer (b. 1953).
• 17 May
  • Hermann Fellner, politician (CSU) (b. 1952).
  • Hans-Joachim Gelberg, writer and publisher of children's books (b. 1930).
  • Peter Thomas, film music composer (b. 1925).
• 18 May – Joachim Walther, writer (b. 1943).
• 20 May – Brigitte Lückert, politician (SPD) (b. 1943).
• 21 May – Julitta Münch, journalist (b. 1959).
• 25 May – Renate Krößner, actress (b. 1945).
• 26 May – Irm Hermann, actress (b. 1942).

June

• 1 June – Christoph Sydow, journalist (b. 1985).
• 2 June – Heinrich Carl Weltzien, agar scientist (b. 1928).
• 3 June – Lennardt Krüger, actor (b. 1958).
• 4 June – Wolfgang Krause, politician (CDU) (b. 1936).
• 5 June
  • Werner Böhm, musician and singer (b. 1941).
  • Horst von Hassel, politician (SPD) (b. 1928).
  • Edeltraud Roller, political scientist (b. 1957).
  • Friedrich Stelzner, academic surgeon, scientist and educator (b. 1921).
  • Edmund Wronski, politician (CDU) (b. 1922).
• 6 June – Dietmar Seyferth, chemist (b. 1929).
• 7 June – Bettina Heinen-Ayech, painter (b. 1937).
• 8 June
  • Klaus Berger, Roman Catholic theologian (b. 1940).
  • Uta Pilling, musician, songwriter and illustrator (b. 1948).
• 9 June – Arnulf Röseler, physician (b. 1935).
• 10 June
  • Hans Cieslarczyk, football player (b. 1937).
  • Eberhard Möbius, actor (b. 1926).
  • Hans Mezger, automobile engineer (b. 1929).
• 11 June – Hermann Salomon, javelin thrower (b. 1938).
• 12 June – Ursula Fuchs, children writer (b. 1931).
• 15 June – Anton Schlembach, Roman Catholic bishop (b. 1932).
• 16 June – Gert Zimmermann, sport journalist (b. 1951).
• 18 June
  • Claus Biederstaedt, actor (b. 1928).
  • Anna Blume, photograph (b. 1936).
• 19 June
  • Klaus Haller, politician (CDU) (b. 1936).
  • Dieter E. Zimmer, journalist (b. 1934).
• 20 June – Bettina Falckenberg, actress (b. 1926).
• 25 June – Peter E. Toschek, experimental physicist (b. 1935).
• 26 June
  • Katrin Beinroth, judoka (b. 1981).
  • Rosemarie Müller-Streisand, evangelical theologian (b. 1923).
• 29 June – Gernot Endemann, film and television actor (b. 1942).
• 30 June – Ludwig Finscher, musicologist (b. 1930).

July

Hans-Jochen Vogel

• 1 July – Georg Ratzinger, Roman Catholic priest and musician (b. 1924).
• 2 July - Tilo Prückner, German television and film actor. (b. 1940)
• 5. July - Willi Holdorf, German football player (b. 1940)
• 26 July – Hans-Jochen Vogel, lawyer and politician (b. 1926).[44]

August

• 3 Augsut - Ralf Metzenmacher, German painter (b. 1964)
• 7 August - Fred Stillkrauth, German actor (b. 1939)
• 13 August - Bernd Fischer, German mathematician (b. 1936)
• 16 August - Georg Volkert, German football player (b. 1945)
• 28 August - Wolfgang Stahl, German spectroscopist (b. 1956)
• 28 August - Uli Stein, German artist (b. 1946)
• 30 August - Ingrid Stahmer, Geram politician (SPD) (b. 1942)

September

Wolfgang Clement

• 18 September - Joachim Kunert, German film director and screenwriter (b. 1929)
• 22 September - Michael Gwisdek, German actor and film director (b. 1942)
• 24 September - Gerry Weber, Geman designer and entrepreneur (b. 1941)
• 27 September - Wolfgang Clement, German politician (b. 1940)

October

• 1 October - Otfried Nassauer, German journalist (b. 1956)
• 2 October – Heinz Kördell, German football player (b. 1932)
• 4 October – Günter de Bruyn, German writer (b. 1926)[45]
• 6 October - Folker Bohnet, German actor and theatre director (b. 1937)
• 6 October – Herbert Feuerstein, German comedian (b. 1937)
• 15 October – Tom Maschler, German-born British publisher, founder of the Booker Prize (b. 1933).[46]
• 25 October – Thomas Oppermann, German politician (b, 1954)

See also

References

1. "Germany and Berlin to host men's European Olympic qualifier!". CEV. 29 August 2019.
2. "2020 EuroHockey Indoor Championships". eurohockey.org. EHF. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
3. Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz stuft AfD-Teilorganisation „Der Flügel“ als gesichert rechtsextremistische Bestrebung ein [The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD sub-organization "The Wing" as a right-wing extremist endeavor] (press release), Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (March 12, 2020).
4. "Verfassungsschutz stuft "Flügel" als rechtsextrem ein". Der Spiegel (in German).
5. Katrin Bennhold, Germany Places Part of Far-Right Party Under Surveillance, New York Times (March 12, 2020).
6. The Guardian: Germany takes tentative steps back to normality as lockdown eases
7. "Telefonschaltkonferenz der Bundeskanzlerin mit den Regierungschefinnen und Regierungschefs der Länder am 30 April 2020". Die Bundeskanzlerin (in German). Retrieved 7 May 2020.
8. Jura-Online: Paukenschlag aus Karlsruhe (german), May 5, 2020
9. Merkur.de: EZB hält trotz Urteil an Anleihenkäufen fest - Merkel spricht von „heikler Lage“, May 5, 2020
10. Bundestag.de: Bundestag verbietet Therapien zur „Heilung“ von Homosexualität (german), May 7, 2020
11. "Burning EU and other flags can now bring German jail term". BBC News. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
12. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "German state bans burqas, niqabs in schools | DW | 21.07.2020". DW.COM. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
13. "Children banned from wearing burkas at school in German state". Metro. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
14. "Alexei Navalny: Putin critic arrives in Germany for medical treatment". BBC News. 22 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
15. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/29/berlin-braces-for-anti-coronavirus-protest-against-covid-19-restrictions
16. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53964147
17. https://www.9news.com.au/world/germany-news-farright-extremists-try-to-enter-berlin-parliament/5a0da103-9de3-4087-bd11-0e33a05c115f
18. https://www.dw.com/en/german-leaders-slam-extremists-who-rushed-reichstag-steps/a-54758246
19. "Alexei Navalny: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok - Germany". BBC News. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
20. "Mainzer Komponist Volker David Kirchner gestorben" [composer Volker David Kirchner died] (in German).
21. "Nie żyje Lucille Eichengreen, Ocalała z łódzkiego getta" [Lucille Eichengreen, survivor of the Łódź ghetto, is deadLucille Eichengreen, survivor of the Łódź ghetto, is dead] (in Polish). 8 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
22. "Volker Spengler ist gestorben" [Volker Spengler has died] (in German). 8 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
23. "Joseph Vilsmaier ist tot" [Joseph Vilsmaier is dead] (in German). 12 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
24. Dr. med. Hansjoachim Linde (in German)
25. "SPD-Politiker Alwin Brück ist tot" [SPD politician Alwin Brück is dead] (in German). 16 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
26. Acker, Michael (19 February 2020). "Herrmannsdorf-Gründer Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth ist tot - sein Werk wird weiterleben" [Herrmannsdorf founder Karl Ludwig Schweisfurth is dead - his work will live on] (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
27. "Schriftsteller Ror Wolf gestorben" [writer Ror Wolf died] (in German). 18 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
28. "Sonja Ziemann gestorben" [Sonja Ziemann died] (in German). 19 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
29. "Maler Peter Dreher gestorben: Bilderserie "Tag um Tag guter Tag" bekanntestes Werk" [Painter Peter Dreher died: picture series “Day after day, good day” best known work] (in German). 20 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
30. "Prof. Hans Deinzer verstorben" [Prof. Hans Deinzer passed away] (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
31. "Das Institut trauert um Carsten Bresch" [The Institute mourns the murder of Carsten Bresch] (in German). Archived from the original on 9 March 2020.
32. "Peter Wieland mit 89 Jahren gestorben" [Peter Wieland died at the age of 89] (in German). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
33. "Berliner Abschweifungen" [Berlin digressions] (in German). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
34. "Früherer Bischof Viktor Josef Dammertz ist tot" [Former Bishop Viktor Josef Dammertz is dead] (in German). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
35. "È morto Ulay: è la fine di un'epoca. Se ne va una delle colonne della performing art" [Ulay is dead: it's the end of an era. One of the columns of the performing art goes away] (in Italian). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
36. "Susan Weinert ist tot" [Susan Weinert is dead] (in German). Saarbrücker Zeitung. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
37. Mangold, Ijoma (4 March 2020). "Der Intellektuelle als Politiker, der Politiker als Intellektueller" [The intellectual as a politician, the politician as an intellectual]. Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 14 March 2020.
38. "Die Hochschule trauert um ihren Ehrenbürger Dr. Dr. h.c. Burkhard Hirsch" [The university mourns the loss of its honorary citizen Dr. Dr. hc Burkhard Hirsch]. Hochschule Düsseldorf (in German). 12 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
39. "Judo-Deutschland trauert um Wolfgang Hofmann" [Judo Germany mourns Wolfgang Hofmann]. Deutscher Judo-Bund (in German). Retrieved 13 March 2020.
40. "Giwi Margwelaschwili ist tot" [Giwi Margwelaschwili is dead] (in German). 13 March 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
41. "Souveräner Steuermann der Wissenschaft" [Sovereign helmsman of science] (in German). 31 March 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
42. Rüdiger Nehberg’s dead: Survival expert and activist dies aged 84
43. Langjähriger DDR-Außenminister Oskar Fischer gestorben (in German)
44. Germany: Ex-SPD leader Hans-Jochen Vogel dies
45. SPIEGEL, DER. "Günter de Bruyn ist tot - DER SPIEGEL - Kultur". www.spiegel.de.
46. Thomson, Liz (16 October 2020). "Tom Maschler obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 October 2020.