Nearly 5,000 Germans emigrated to Poland in 2025, outpacing the numbers who left for Britain, Italy or the Netherlands, according to new government data.
Figures from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) showed 4,941 people moved from Germany to Poland last year, the highest total since the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, only 1,720 moved in the opposite direction. The resulting negative migration balance for Germany was highlighted by financial daily Handelsblatt reporter Christian Wermke, who asked: “Why are more and more Germans moving across the Oder? What exactly works better in the Polish economy than in Germany? And what could we learn from our eastern neighbor so as not to permanently lose skilled workers?”
Poland features 5 amazing swimming pools just outside Kraków, in Zakrzówek.
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"No groping, no harassment, just families, children, girls, women, men, all peaceful." https://t.co/r3cGmXnsMT
Kevin Wörner, a 33-year-old who relocated from Berlin to Warsaw, and whose mother is Polish, told the newspaper there is “an incredible sense of a new beginning here. Everyone here is very optimistic.”
He contrasted that atmosphere with conversations among friends in Germany, where “it just gets you down.” Wörner cited lower taxes, less bureaucracy, stronger digitalization, and a more business-friendly environment as practical advantages, saying he had the impression “everything is a bit simpler here and more conducive to entrepreneurship.”
The trend also comes at a time when more and more Western European visiting Poland have made remarks about how safe the country is, how there is a lack of migrants, and how much better of a lifestyle the country offers.
A young French-speaking woman traveling in Poland describes how shocked she is to finally not be catcalled and harassed.
"It’s when you come to countries like Poland that you realize there are really problems with our countries, like Belgium or France."
"Whether it’s Brussels, Liège, or slightly bigger cities like that, I would always get catcalled, honked at, harassed… really, everything you can think of."
"And now I’m in Krakow, Poland, and it’s been two days that I’ve been walking around in this outfit, and I get absolutely no comments, no stares – like, only respect."
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Jens Althoff, head of the Warsaw office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, noted that many Germans still hold a “rather distorted image of Poland.” He pointed to ongoing infrastructure investment, high levels of digitalization, punctual trains, and well-maintained stations as visible differences.
Althoff also observed that younger Poles often emphasize achievement and implementation over the work-life balance discussions common in Germany.
After returning from Poland, French journalist @YOANNUSAI said:
"It’s true that after coming back from certain countries to France, you can say to yourself: ‘My God, what have they done to our country?’"
"And it’s true that Poland is still Poland, while France is no longer France. The reality is this. The Poland of 40 years ago is the same as the Poland of today. France today is nothing like the France of 40 years ago. And immigration, of course, is partly responsible for this."
Many Western Europeans have the same reaction after returning from Poland, which still has basically the same demographics as 40 years ago.
Poland is also a vastly safer country for women on the streets.
"Finally, in Poland, young girls go out freely, without fear. Obviously, in Poland, there are young girls who are dressed however they want to be dressed. They don’t censor themselves, which is no longer the case in France. I had to go out on a Saturday night in Paris, and a lot of young girls self-censor how they dress. This is not the case in Poland, as I have seen. You can walk freely around Warsaw at any time of day or night without worrying about your safety, which is not even the case for me in Paris, as a man, OK? I’m afraid for my own safety at certain hours in some neighborhoods of Paris."
Other interviewees mentioned Polish digital tools such as the BLIK mobile payment system and the mObywatel government app as examples of efficiency that stand out to newcomers. Handelsblatt’s reporting appeared amid broader German media coverage noting Poland’s economic growth and infrastructure improvements, even as some outlets have described ongoing operational difficulties on the German rail network.
The Destatis figures place Poland among the top destinations for German emigrants in 2025, behind Switzerland, Austria and Spain but ahead of several Western European countries. The newspaper framed the trend as a potential signal for German policymakers concerned about retaining skilled workers, while noting that overall German emigration remains highest to neighboring German-speaking countries, such as Austria.
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