Studies show that Germans, Austrian and Swiss are among the world’s most enthusiastic readers.
German is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with around 130 million native and second-language speakers, mainly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but also in parts of Belgium, Luxembourg, and Italy [1].
Books written in German therefore have access to a large and diverse readership.
Studies show that Germans, Austrians, and Swiss are among the world’s most enthusiastic readers. For example, there were about 8.93 million people among the German-speaking population aged 14 years and older who had purchased at least one e-book within the past 12 months in 2023 [2].
Digital platforms, especially e-books and audiobooks, have become vital tools for reaching readers. Despite global shifts in reading habits, the demand for quality literature in German remains significant. This offers promising opportunities for authors and publishers.
References:
[1] Deutschland.de. (2023). The German language: surprising facts and figures. Retrieved April 7, 2025, from https://www.deutschland.de/en/topic/culture/the-german-language-surprising-facts-and-figures#:~:text=Around%20130%20million%20people%20speak,to%20a%20German-speaking%20minority; Push to Learn. (2023). German-speaking countries. Retrieved April 7, 2025, from https://pushtolearn.com/post/german-speaking-countries
[2] Statista. (2023). E-book purchases in Germany. Retrieved April 7, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/436735/e-book-purchases-germany/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20there%20were%20about%208.93%20million,one%20e-book%20within%20the%20past%2012%20months.