Organised by the Gen Z Regelt (Gen Z sorts it) alliance, the demonstrations brought together students, activists and older supporters, with nearly 180,000 people registering to participate in 34 cities ahead of the rallies.
German police estimated that around 5,000 people gathered in Berlin, while organizers put the figure at 10,000. Nationwide, the alliance reported more than 100,000 participants, according to German news agency dpa. Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich and Berlin were among the main centers of mobilization.
The protests highlighted growing frustration among young people over the government's decision to pursue increased military expenditure while universities, education facilities and social services face funding cuts.
Veronika Dinter, a 23-year-old political science student who travelled from Hannover to Berlin, said rising living costs had forced her to take a part-time job to finance her studies.
“Funding for education and social services are being cut, while the cost of living keeps rising. Universities are struggling, institutes are closing, teachers are losing their jobs and education facilities are literally falling apart,” she said.
“This crisis is the political failure of our government. And instead of solving it, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his rich friends are funding the military with billions of euros.”
Emma Heymann, a 24-year-old Berlin student, echoed the criticism, accusing the government of prioritizing military expenditure and funding the genocide in Gaza while imposing cuts that undermine young people's quality of life.
Beyond domestic economic grievances, protesters also voiced opposition to militarization, war and the prospect of compulsory military service, one of six central issues identified by the organizers.
The demonstrations have drawn inspiration from recent youth-led mobilizations in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Serbia, reinforcing a broader European movement challenging economic inequality, government austerity and military policies.
Kilian Hampel, a senior research fellow at the Future of Work Lab at the University of Konstanz, said frustration among young Germans had been building for years, while protests elsewhere in Europe had encouraged them to take their concerns to the streets.
He described concerns over deteriorating educational infrastructure as legitimate and stressed that demonstrators needed to be heard.
Although the Berlin rally proceeded largely peacefully, police reported minor incidents involving pyrotechnics, while clashes between protesters and police were reported in Cologne.
Demonstrators rejected concerns about violence overshadowing their demands, calling instead for authorities to respect their right to protest and address the social and economic pressures facing younger generations.