2023: What young Germans wish for — and what they fear

"My personal life is fine the way it is; my wishes have come true this year. Now the world just has to get better. So: COVID has to go away and the war in Ukraine has to stop."

Jordan Rattke, 27, Frankfurt

"I wish for my family to stay healthy. And that I will get better grades in school. I could also wish that there will be no more war or something like that. But that's just very unrealistic."

Deniz, 18, Cologne

"I hope that I can study medicine. And, in general, I hope that we survive capitalism. Because it creates problems, like climate catastrophe, and puts a lot of psychological strain on many people. I don't think people are very aware of that."

Mia Bossat, 20, Frankfurt

"I hope that things will calm down next year. Both in my life and in the world. Personally, I'm experiencing upheaval right now because I am moving into a new home, and that's how I notice how much prices have gone up. The housing market is very tight. I also hope that inflation doesn't rise any further. Overall, though, I'm quite optimistic that things will get better. But we have to wait and see how the situation develops in Ukraine as well."

Gregor Theiler, 28, Kiel

"I hope that I find the right professional path for myself when I have completed my training — that's what I really wish for. And that inflation doesn't get any worse. Everything is already too expensive."

Sonita, 24, Cologne

"My wish is that we focus more on arts and culture, on people, on our communities. In short, on things that enrich our lives. In the COVID pandemic, we have seen how valuable and also vulnerable all that is, and we should appreciate it more.

"And my wish for 2023 is that, despite all the madness that is happening in the world, we allow ourselves to calm down and create our own positive environment. That we don't let things we can't change wear us down, but rather put our energy into what we can actually shape ourselves: our environment, our own community, our own principles, and desires."

Valerie Schwane Torres, 22, Berlin

"I want a secure future where I can study and work without existential fears. I'm afraid that I'll have to work in a job that doesn't make me happy."

Rahel, 17, Cologne

"I hope that my studies continue to go as well as they have so far. And that I get to meet a lot more people and travel a lot next year."

"I hope that my studies continue to go as well as they have so far. And that I get to meet a lot more people and travel a lot next year."

Jonathan, 24, Frankfurt

"I am concerned about German agriculture. Due to ecological maximum standards, minimum wage and inflation-related austerity, the situation for farmers is becoming more and more precarious. I would like to see a turnaround here. Both in consumer behavior and in politics."

Matteo Gentile, 26, Bielefeld

"I look to the year 2023 with uncertainty about what may lie ahead. The current global situation worries me. There are only crises everywhere — climate change, the Ukraine war, the Iranian protests, the energy crisis, famines, natural disasters, and much more. I hope that we as people will work together with politicians to overcome these challenges and finally start to all pull together. Peace and justice are what I wish for. In particular, advancing women's rights is an important issue for me. Personally, I'm looking forward to my planned vacations and attending concerts with my loved ones in 2023."

Amelie, 20, Kiel

"I wish that we as a society would loosen up, and not always exaggerate everything so much. A bit more calm and fewer knee-jerk reactions. My fear is that things will continue as they are or get even worse."

Daniel, 30, Cologne

"With regard to the culture of dispute and debate, I hope that it will move towards more mutual understanding. Far too often, contentious topics lead to such polarization that a constructive debate is hardly possible. Splitting off into small echo chambers in which only one opinion is represented cannot be a solution here. Differences must be endured."

Chiara, 26, Bielefeld

"I wish people more self-love so they can live happier lives. And I hope for more stability and peace in the countries of the world."

Alvin Garcia, 30, Frankfurt

"My biggest wishes are that conflicts can be resolved diplomatically and that housing for students remains affordable. And what I'm afraid of is that war will spread."

Simon, 22, Cologne

This article was originally written in German.

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