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The country's famed auto sector is losing jobs faster than any industrial branch in the economy, official statistics show. Meanwhile, farmers say drought conditions could affect this year's harvest. DW has more.
For coverage of the wildfire in western Germany click on our dedicated blog here
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08/14/2026 August 14, 2026 Car industry hemorrhaging jobs Germany's automotive branch is losing jobs faster than any industrial sector in the economy according to the Federal Statistical Office Destatis.
The car industry is second only to mechanical engineering when it comes to size, yet its employment numbers are now at their lowest since 2005.
At the end of the first half of 2026, 691,500 people were employed in Germany's leading industry, a drop of 42,300 workers, or 5.8%, within a single year.
Destatis said manufacturing employment fell by 2.7% overall but had fallen by 7.6% in the automobile sector. Smaller segments within the car sector fell by 10%, whereas manufacturers themselves registered a 6.1% drop in employment.
In May, Germany's Association of the Automobile Industry (VDA) warned that the sector stands to lose as many as 225,000 jobs by 2035.
Numerous German manufacturers, such as VW, Audi and Porsche, have all cut jobs in an effort to remain lean in the face of rising Chinese competition and punitive US tariffs.
08/14/2026 August 14, 2026 Welcome to our coverage Jon Shelton | Mark Hallam | Rob Turner Editor Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn.
The major talking point on another hot, dry day in Germany is the wildfire near the Dutch and Belgian border. We've got a dedicated blog running on that story, but over here is a wrap of the other topics of the day.
Including more damaging news for the once mighty car industry, and a sharp warning from farmers on the outcome of this years crop yield.
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