German Of The Day: Deprimiert

June 9, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Helplessness, Hideology Tags: Business, Energy, German, Greens, Industry, Languages, Recession Leave a comment

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.

German Of The Day: Hiobsbotschaft

May 9, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hurt Feelings Tags: Economy, German, Germany, Industrial Production, Industry, Language, Recession Leave a comment

Literally, “Job of the Bible’s message.” Bad news, in other words. Evil tidings.

HIOBSBOTSCHAFT FOR GERMAN ECONOMY: Industrial Production Surprisingly Down Sharply.

Germany’s Industrial Plunge Revives Winter Recession Fears – German industrial production sank by the most in a year — raising the risk that Europe’s largest economy slipped into a winter recession.

Output dropped 3.4% in March, more than the 1.5% decline economists had predicted in a Bloomberg survey. The decrease was especially pronounced in the automotive sector, according to the statistics office.

Boost Your Defense Industry

April 7, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Hypocrisy Tags: Arms Industry, Defense, Exports, German, Germans, Germany, Industry, Weapons Leave a comment

Not your defense.

That’s how it’s always been in today’s Germany. Search here (in the upper left) for “beautiful German weapon sale” to get just a few examples.

Thanks to Putin, Business Is Booming for Germany’s Defense Contractors – As governments rearm in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the German arms industry is a prime beneficiary, and that’s making some of the public uncomfortable.

PS: Happy Good Friday to that.

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

April 3, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: Business, Corruption, Costs, Energy, Germany, Hungary, Industry Leave a comment

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

March 24, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Helplessness, Home Cooking, Hurt Feelings Tags: Business, Industry, Investments, Markets, Migration Leave a comment

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.

Export This

January 15, 2023 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness Tags: Automobiles, Cars, China, Exports, Germany, Industry Leave a comment

Germany still exports cars like hotcakes.

But China exports more.

China’s car exports surpass Germany’s after 54.4 per cent surge to 3.11 million in 2022, narrowing Japan’s lead – China has surpassed Germany to become the world’s second-largest car exporter after mainland exports jumped 54.4 per cent year on year to 3.11 million vehicles in 2022, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

Things Are Not Looking Good

December 27, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy Tags: Attitude, Business, Economy, German, Germans, Germany, Industry, Inflation, Recessions, Surveys Leave a comment

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.

It Simply Isn’t True That We Don’t Have Enough Weapons

December 2, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Habitudes, Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Home Cooking, Hypocrisy Tags: Ammunition, Armies, Defense, Exports, Germans, Germany, Industry, NATO, Preparedness, Weapons Leave a comment

It’s just that we don’t have enough ammunition.

The more things change (with the German army), the more they stay the same. I’ve timed these “unpreparedness” intervals to be about every eight to ten months – for decades now. Germans have no intention of ever having a “real” army again. The Bundeswehr is simply an alibi army needed to justify the German weapons industry. Just get used to it, folks. And don’t believe any of their rhetoric.

German defense minister comes under heavy fire over ammunition shortages – Both government coalition partners attack Christine Lambrecht over apparent unpreparedness and inaction to secure enough ammo for armed forces.

Germans Thinking About Reducing Their Dependency On China

September 9, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: China, Dependency, Exports, Germany, Imports, Industry Leave a comment

Why on earth for? It worked great with Russia.

German economy ministry reviews measures to curb China business – Germany’s economy ministry is considering a raft of measures to make business with China less attractive as it seeks to reduce its dependency on Asia’s economic superpower, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The measures could include reducing or even scrapping investment and export guarantees for China and no longer promoting trade fairs and manager training there, those people said. Loans from state lender KfW could be re-directed to projects in other Asian countries, such as Indonesia, in line with attempts to diversify trade and increase business with democracies.

German Of The Day: Existenzielle Bedrohung

August 19, 2022 By Hermann Observer in Hard Facts, Heconomy, Helplessness, Hideology, Hurt Feelings Tags: Bureaucracy, Energy, Gas, German Language, Germany, Industry, Inflation, Oil, Prices, Putin Leave a comment

That means existential threat. Like: “The existence of many companies is being threatened by the increased prices.”

German companies are supposed to save gas. But the switch to oil, for example, is being held back by bureaucracy and legal uncertainty.

The German government is calling for gas savings, with the Federal Minister of Economics leading the way – and yet, from the point of view of companies, the government is preventing exactly what it is calling for. Several associations say that it is very difficult for companies to obtain approval for retrofits.

Observing Hermann

“Was interessiert mich mein Geschwätz von gestern?”

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