Englisch of the Day: Guarantee

This is an assurance that another’s obligation will be fulfilled, or something presented as such security; guaranty. In this case, they mean with taxpayer money.

And the guarantee is that the Germany economy is guaranteed to fall flat on its face if the German government continues its odd obsession with remaining dependent on China as a business partner. It’s recent dependency on Russan gas was just that much fun, I guess.

German guarantees for China investments plummet -document.

The volume of investment guarantees provided by the German government to companies investing in China has collapsed this year, a government document showed, highlighting the impact of Berlin’s efforts to end over-reliance on the country.

Only 51.9 million euros ($56.26 million) in guarantees have been issued so far this year, according to the document seen by Reuters, less than a tenth of the 745.9 million euros in guarantees issued over the whole of last year.

It’s much too dry, dry, dry!

Was yesterday (or the past few years).

Now it’s much too wet, wet, wet! All it does is rain in Germany these days. But don’t worry, because you’re still allowed to worry. Ask any climate activist. In both cases “the Climate Crisis” is to blame. It’s science. I mean, pseudoscience.

Rhine river levels in Germany back to normal after rain – Heavy rain has raised water on the river Rhine in Germany to levels allowing cargo vessels to sail fully loaded, data from German inland waterways agency WSA said on Wednesday.

Data from the WSA’s website Pegelonline showed that the last shallow sectors of the river around Cologne had now reached levels generally permitting full vessel loads.

Dry weather in June meant the river became too shallow for vessels to sail fully loaded and ship operators imposed surcharges on freight rates to compensate for vessels sailing partly empty, increasing costs for cargo owners.

Weapons orders? Bitte!

Please! By all means.

But to be willing to actually use them ourselves? Nein, danke!

German Defense Companies Could Be Europe’s Arsenal of Democracy – But for the Bundeswehr to fight will take a culture shift, not just weapons orders.

More than a decade ago, the German government made the deliberate decision to kill the ability of the Bundeswehr, Germany’s military, to fight a conventional land war in Europe and strip it of the equipment, manpower, and resources to do so. In 1990, as the Cold War was ending, the then-West German Bundeswehr alone was still able to field 215 combat battalions in a high state of readiness. Today, Germany has around 34 battalions, and the word “combat” is a bit of a misnomer. They are at such a low state of military readiness that when the 10th Tank Division conducted an exercise late last year, its entire deployed fleet of 18 Puma infantry fighting vehicles broke down…

Save The Planet

Leave the country.

It’s the only Green thing to do.

German energy prices are so high they’re driving companies to relocate, industry body says…

In May, the German government revealed plans to set aside around 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) each year to subsidize electricity prices for energy-intensive industries, in an attempt to shield businesses from high electricity prices.

“A lot of family-owned companies … have very operational plans to relocate.”

German Of The Day: Deprimiert

That means depressed.

German bosses are depressed – And dissatisfied with the government.

We are at a dangerous point,” worries Arndt Kirchhoff, boss of the employers’ association in North Rhine-Westphalia and one of three brothers who run Kirchhoff, a maker of car components. Germany recently slipped into a technical recession. Many companies are investing abroad rather than at home. Chinese consumers are importing less after the lifting of pandemic restrictions than German manufacturers had been hoping. And Ukraine’s counter-offensive against Russian invaders is injecting uncertainty into Germany’s backyard.

You Won The League Title?

Well, then we have no other choice but to fire you!

What would they done to these guys if they had lost the title?

Bayern Munich fire Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic – Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic were both fired after the club secured the Bundesliga title on Saturday. Jan-Christian Dreesen will replace Kahn as CEO with a new sporting director yet to be announced.

The fact that this was Bayern’s least convincing Bundesliga title in 11 years wasn’t lost on the kingmakers in Munich, aware that they had won the title because of Dortmund’s failures rather than their own successes. Something had to be done about Kahn and Salihamidzic and they have been ruthlessly disposed of, not even waiting until the club’s advisory board meets on May 30 to deconstruct the season.

German Of The Day: “Under Review”

That means business as usual.

Business links between Germany and China are under review – It is unusual for a foreign minister to tour a factory, but it shows the importance of business ties between Germany and China. The country is Germany’s biggest trade partner and an important destination for foreign investments in several industries that are the backbone of the Mittelstand (mid-size companies). Yet as the value of trade increased for the seventh consecutive year in 2022, the bilateral deficit widened.

German Companies Leaving Hungary Almost As Fast As They’re Leaving Germany

In Germany they can’t afford to stay (energy costs).

In Hungary they can’t afford to pay (baksheesh). Or so they say.

Viktor Orbán Ups the Pressure on German Companies to Leave Hungary – German companies have long been active in Hungary. But now, Viktor Orbán is trying to force some of them to leave. And when they do, his closest allies stand to profit.

Germans Hate America

Why should they be the only ones who don’t?

But…

German companies love America. According to the German-American Chamber of Commerce, around 5,600 of them have invested in the US market. As of September 2022, that’s an investment volume of almost $650 billion (€605 billion). And it’s not only big firms like Siemens, Volkswagen, or Linde that are currently looking to strengthen their commitment to the United States — in some instances, even building entire new production facilities.

Things Are Not Looking Good

Because things are looking better.

Because once things start looking better, they can only get worse.

German businesses expect only mild recession as disruptions ease – German companies expect only a mild recession next year despite headwinds from the energy crisis, raw material shortages and a tepid global economy, a survey of major associations published by Reuters on Tuesday showed.

There have been growing signs that the German economy could stave off the worst of an economic downturn triggered by a plunge in energy supply from Russia after the Ukraine invasion.

Inflation to 11.3% in November from a high of 11.6% the month prior as energy prices eased. The German government has predicted the economy will grow by 1.4% this year and next year.