After several failures, Hansi Flick starts the year of the World Cup with three returnees and the surprise candidate Anton Stach.
In addition to the 23-year-old Mainz debutant Stach, the national coach also nominated Julian Weigl, Benjamin Henrichs and Robin Koch for the German national team on Friday after a break of several years.
Marco Reus, Leon Goretzka and Robin Gosens, who were recently injured or ill, are not in the squad for the first test internationals on March 26 in Sinsheim against Israel and three days later against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Like goalkeeper Bernd Leno, Mats Hummels was also not included.
Defense chief Niklas Süle is missing because of a torn muscle fiber.
Top talent Florian Wirtz suffered a cruciate ligament rupture on Sunday and is in danger of missing the World Cup in late autumn.
"If we want to be successful in Qatar, the prerequisite is that all players are in top form.
That is the focus we are setting," said Flick in a media briefing on Friday.
"Basically, we want to get used to it, get the automatisms in," explained the 57-year-old.
But he also wanted to “find a mix of trying out and importing,” said Flick, looking at the two friendlies.
The Freiburg central defender Nico Schlotterbeck, who had recently been nominated several times, received a guarantee for his international debut.
"He will definitely play his first game, that's in the planning stage," said Flick.
He called up a total of 26 players, with FC Bayern Munich providing the largest block.
The ailing striker Karim Adeyemi from Red Bull Salzburg may be out.