Germany Divided

Everyday life

Trabants and Wartburgs

Registered cars made by VEB Sachsenring (Trabant) and Automobilwerk Eisenach (Wartburg) per 100,000 inhabitants, 1 January, 1.1.2026

50,999 Trabants and Wartburgs were still registered in Germany on 1 January 2026. The eastern states have 335.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, 26.7 times the western rate of 12.6; 81% of them are registered in the East. Thuringia leads with 388.3, Hamburg has the fewest (6.8).

< 70.4 per 100k70.4 per 100k134.0 per 100k197.6 per 100k261.1 per 100k≥ 324.7 per 100k

Inner-German border 1949–1990 ·16 states · 1.1.2026

Former West

12.6 per 100k

excl. Berlin

Former East

335.9 per 100k

excl. Berlin

Berlin

27.3 per 100k

Germany

61.1 per 100k

The East's figure is 26.7× the West's (1.1.2026).

By state

Former WestFormer EastBerlin
  1. Thüringen388.3 per 100k
  2. Sachsen-Anhalt343.4 per 100k
  3. Sachsen339.9 per 100k
  4. Brandenburg311.1 per 100k
  5. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern287.0 per 100k
  6. Berlin27.3 per 100k
  7. Niedersachsen19.3 per 100k
  8. Schleswig-Holstein15.5 per 100k
  9. Bayern14.6 per 100k
  10. Hessen13.4 per 100k
  11. Rheinland-Pfalz12.3 per 100k
  12. Baden-Württemberg11.4 per 100k
  13. Saarland9.6 per 100k
  14. Nordrhein-Westfalen9.1 per 100k
  15. Bremen6.9 per 100k
  16. Hamburg6.8 per 100k

1.1.2026

Notes & caveats

  • Vehicles are counted where they are registered (owner's address), on 1 January 2026. Cars and motorcycles that are temporarily deregistered (e.g. over winter) are not in the stock.
  • Our calculation: vehicles ÷ population on 31.12.2025 × 100,000. East = the five eastern states without Berlin.
  • KBA lists the makes by manufacturer: SACHSENRING (Trabant, 41,862 cars) and AUTOMOB-EISENACH-AWE (Wartburg, 9,137 cars). Production of both ended in 1991, so almost all are GDR-era cars; many are classic cars on historic (H) plates.
  • 25 of these cars are listed by KBA under "Sonstige" (not assigned to any state) and are in no state rate.
Show the table
StateSide1.1.2026
Saarlandwest9.6 per 100k
Berlinberlin27.3 per 100k
Brandenburgeast311.1 per 100k
Mecklenburg-Vorpommerneast287.0 per 100k
Sachseneast339.9 per 100k
Sachsen-Anhalteast343.4 per 100k
Thüringeneast388.3 per 100k
Schleswig-Holsteinwest15.5 per 100k
Hamburgwest6.8 per 100k
Niedersachsenwest19.3 per 100k
Bremenwest6.9 per 100k
Nordrhein-Westfalenwest9.1 per 100k
Hessenwest13.4 per 100k
Rheinland-Pfalzwest12.3 per 100k
Baden-Württembergwest11.4 per 100k
Bayernwest14.6 per 100k