German of the day: Freier Fall

That means free fall.

The Federation of German Industries (BDI) believes that Germany’s economy is in “free fall.” German industry is currently facing a dramatic low point, BDI President Peter Leibinger told the news agency dpa. “The economy is in its worst crisis since the Federal Republic was founded, but the federal government is not responding decisively enough.”

A new industry report expects industrial production to decline by two percent this year. This would be the fourth consecutive year of decline. “This is not a temporary dip, but a structural decline,” Leibinger said. German industry is continuously losing ground.

Don’t blame it on your voluntary dependency on Russian energy

You already had the highest energy prices before the war in Ukraine began.

Blame it on your self-inflicted Green Energiewende (energy turnaround). Turn off all your nuclear power plants and find out.

Germany’s heating bills have tripled since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – Germany has faced a significant increase in heating costs since 2021, after deciding to end its reliance on Russia as a key energy supplier over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Germans are facing a 82% increase in heating costs since 2021, when the country decided to cut ties with Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Systemic vulnerabilities in Berlin’s infrastructure?

No way.

It can’t happen here. Again.

Suspected arson triggers Berlin blackout, 40,000 homes and businesses without electricity – A fire on two high-voltage pylons in southeastern Berlin triggered a major power outage Tuesday morning, leaving more than 40,000 households without electricity in what authorities suspect was an arson attack.

The suspected arson recalls previous attacks linked to the left-wing extremist group “Vulkangruppe,” which has claimed responsibility for targeting infrastructure in Berlin since 2011.

What’s a little power gap here and there…

As long as you can say you have the highest energy costs in Europe?

Or is it the highest energy costs in the world? I forget. Go, Greens!

Germany could see power supply gap in 2030, regulator says – Germany’s Federal Network Agency on Wednesday warned that rare electricity shortfalls could occur as early as 2030 if the country’s energy transition stalls, though supply is otherwise expected to remain secure through 2035.

The Security of Supply Report, approved by the federal cabinet on Wednesday, highlights the risks should renewable expansion slow, new gas-fired power plants fail to materialize, and electricity demand not become sufficiently flexible.

Crazy high energy costs, crippling taxation, ever-growing red tape, ineffective government…

In Germany.

What’s not to like? This isn’t rocket science for businesses here. For businesses that are still here, I should say.

Germany’s biggest sports retailer considers moving production to China – Intersport eyes spare Chinese manufacturing capacity as Nike and Adidas back away from the country amid trade war.

One of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers is considering shifting production to China, just as brands including Nike and Adidas move production out of the country in response to US tariffs.

Go with the mass layoffs, Germany

Mass layoffs for peace? Absolutely. It’s only the right thing to do.

Especially if you’re on the left.

Russian oil or mass layoffs: A German town’s conundrum – In Schwedt, life flows through an oil refinery. If it doesn’t get help — or restart Russian imports — people worry their jobs will be gone.

Germans still pretending they don’t need nuclear power…

But it’s not as convincing as it used to be.

German government shows cracks over nuclear energy – The economy minister attended a meeting of EU states using nuclear energy, even though Germany shut down its last reactor in 2023. The environment minister was quick to insist Germany will stick to its nuclear phaseout.

“There are no further commitments [to the nuclear industry], nor will there be any.”

The highest taxation in Europe…

The highest healthcare and retirement costs, the highest energy costs, the highest regulation costs, then there’s the inflation, now the debt…

No, it’s a real mystery why Germans can’t afford to live on their wages anymore.

Why more Germans can’t afford life on their wages – German politicians are fond of saying, “Work must be worth it.” But ever more full-time workers need state benefits, and the new minimum wage hike is seen as disappointing.

German of the day: Schneckentempo

That means moving at a snail’s pace.

But at least it’s still movement. In the right direction.

Germany drops opposition to nuclear power in rapprochement with France – Paris wins approval from Berlin to remove anti-nuclear bias in EU legislation, say officials.

Germany has dropped its long-held opposition to nuclear power, in the first concrete sign of rapprochement with France by Berlin’s new government led by conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Berlin has signalled to Paris it will no longer block French efforts to ensure nuclear power is treated on par with renewable energy in EU legislation, according to French and German officials.