BERLIN — A total of 358 cases involving underage marriages have been recorded in Germany’s southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg since 2012, with only eight marriages legally annulled, according to information released by the state’s Interior Ministry in response to a parliamentary inquiry.
The figures relate specifically to Baden-Württemberg and do not represent the whole of Germany.
According to the report, around 350 cases were closed for other reasons or did not proceed to legal annulment. These included situations in which an underage spouse reached adulthood before proceedings could be completed or a spouse died.
Among the cases was the marriage of an 11-year-old girl from Iraq to a 17-year-old boy, which was annulled in 2020. Official records also included cases involving girls aged 12, 13 and 14.
The report referenced individuals from several countries, including Pakistan, Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The legal marriage age in Germany is generally 18. Forced marriage is also a separate criminal offence under German law.
The figures have drawn attention to the legal and administrative challenges involved in addressing underage marriages and determining whether existing marriages can be annulled.