Category Archives: Heconomy

And the axe keeps falling…

November 4, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

German of the day: Streichen. That means to cut. As in jobs.

‘Industry crisis’: Germany’s auto sector faces fresh cuts as Schaeffler axes 3,460 jobs and eyes defense – Car parts maker Schaeffler said Tuesday it would cut 3,460 jobs and shutter five of its sites across Europe, blaming an “automotive industry crisis” amid a struggle against economic headwinds, overseas competition and technological change.

Approximately 2,660 of the jobs and four of the five sites affected are in Germany, including Schaeffler’s plants in Dortmund and Morbach, which manufacture products for internal combustion engines. Operations will also be discontinued at its Berlin and Schwalbach sites, and toolmaking will cease at Höchstadt. Capacity will be adjusted in Haguenau and Toulouse, France, as well as Skalica and Kysuce in Slovakia.

“If the American president invites you…”

October 26, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Home Cooking Leave a comment

“You accept the invitation. That is what respect for the office and for the country in which we invest demands.”

Audi defends decision to stand by Trump on $4 billion factory in Georgia – The head of German automaker Audi defended on Sunday the company’s planned $4 billion investment in a new US plant, announced by President Donald Trump as he campaigns for the November midterm elections.

Audi Chief Executive Gernot Doellner stood alongside Trump at a rally in Perry, near Macon in central Georgia on Saturday, as the US president said Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group VOWG_p.DE, planned to build an assembly plant in Georgia that will produce 200,000 SUVs annually.

New?

October 1, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Leave a comment

There’s nothing new about socialists taking other people’s property.

Its number one on their time-honored tradition list.

Populism’s New Rallying Cry Is ‘Expropriation’ – Germany’s leftist party swept to victory in Berlin by vowing to confiscate and socialize housing.

After the German far right’s victory in regional elections earlier this month, the Sept. 20 vote in Berlin offered a startling rebuttal—but also a new set of political questions for Germany’s political system. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party scored a record high in the city, but the clear winner was the Left party and specifically Elif Eralp, its candidate for mayor. Having won an unprecedented 26 percent of votes, Eralp is now in position to lead coalition talks with Social Democrats and Greens to cobble together a left-of-center “red-red-green” government.

German of the day: Ernstes Signal

September 30, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

That means a serious signal.

46,000 Jobs Lost: German Corporations Lead the EU in Job Cuts — “a serious signal.”

In 2025, leading German corporations cut significantly more jobs worldwide than companies in France, Spain, or Italy. Workforces are shrinking dramatically, especially at large corporations.

The German economy is in crisis. One bankruptcy follows another. But things aren’t looking particularly rosy internationally either. Nevertheless, companies in Germany are cutting significantly more jobs than firms in Spain, France, or Italy.

Volkswagen has steering problems

September 26, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

And their cars do too.

Volkswagen, Audi to recall almost 1 million cars in Germany – Volkswagen and its subsidiary Audi are to recall nearly a million vehicles in Germany due to a potential steering fault.

Germany auto firm Volkswagen (VW) and its subsidiary Audi are to recall nearly a million vehicles in Germany due to steering problems, according to German media reports.

The KBA road traffic authority was cited by the t-online news portal as saying that the recall was required due to potential bolt failures that could damage the steering gearbox or, in some cases, cause a complete loss of steering.

It’s just a phaseout Germany’s going through

September 24, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Sooner or later they’ll figure out that this is bat shit crazy.

Germany sets out plan to phase out fossil fuels by 2045 – Germany has said it plans to phase out the use of coal, oil and gas by 2045, reaffirming a climate strategy focused on electrification.

“Our road map is intended to set an international example. I am sure that many other countries will follow.”

Luxury has its price

September 23, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

And it’s too high, in Germany.

Mercedes-Benz production in Germany is not competitive by international standards, in particular ​due to high labour costs, the premium automaker said on ‌Tuesday, after a top executive warned workers that two plants could close.

The company wants to maintain plants and employment in Germany, it said in an emailed ​statement to Reuters. “But to do that, we need framework conditions ​that boost productivity in Germany,” it added.

German of the day: Insolvenz

September 11, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Hideology, Home Cooking Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

That means insolvency.

German corporate insolvencies hit 13-year high in first half – The number of corporate insolvencies in Germany rose to a 13-year ​high in the first half of ‌2026 despite signs of a nascent recovery in Europe’s largest economy, figures from the ​federal statistics office showed on Friday.

Local ​courts reported 12,812 corporate insolvency filings from ⁠January to June, an increase of ​6.7% year-on-year, with transportation and warehousing ​the most affected sectors.

A warning for Germany?

September 10, 2026 By in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I think this warning is coming a little too late.

Warning Systems in Germany Are Being Tested – Can authorities reach and warn the public in an emergency? That will be tested today starting at 11 a.m. as part of the nationwide Warning Day. In the past, gaps in the system have repeatedly come to light.

Across Germany, disaster warning systems will be tested on Thursday morning starting at 11 a.m. On the nationwide Warning Day, the federal government, states, and local authorities will trigger a test alert via various channels—including official warning apps such as Nina and Katwarn, as well as the cell broadcast system for cell phones. The media and electronic display boards will also broadcast warning messages. An all-clear is expected to be issued around 11:45 a.m.

Bake this! – German bureaucracy in action

August 28, 2026 By in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: , Leave a comment

And no, this isn’t satire.

Row over weight of half a loaf leaves German baker with €15,000 bill – A customer complaint over just 10 grams of missing bread forced the Bavarian baker to install new weighing equipment across his shops.

The punch line: German politicians can’t seem to figure out why companies aren’t willing to invest in Germany anymore.