- 17h ago
Environmental group report finds diesel still powers 70% of city buses in Germany
A review of municipal transport by Deutsche Umwelthilfe shows that only three of Germany's largest cities had electrified more than half of their bus fleets as of December 2025.
- 5d ago
Galeria files fourth insolvency in six years as co-owner Bernd Beetz criticizes management
Galeria filed for insolvency on 2 October 2026 at the Düsseldorf district court, putting 83 department stores and 12,000 jobs at risk as co-owner Bernd Beetz criticized management for slow operational changes.
- Sep 28
Evonik rejects BASF takeover offer valuing chemical group at 14 billion euros
Essen-based specialty chemicals maker Evonik has dismissed an acquisition proposal of approximately 22.15 euros per share from Ludwigshafen rival BASF, citing an inadequate valuation.
- Sep 26
BASF approaches specialty chemical rival Evonik over potential takeover offer
German chemicals producer BASF has submitted a non-binding takeover approach for competitor Evonik, valuing the specialty chemicals manufacturer at an enterprise value of approximately 12 billion euros including debt.
- Sep 22
Evonik announces 3,200 job cuts worldwide and plans sale of two subsidiaries
German specialty chemicals company Evonik will eliminate 3,200 positions by 2029, with 2,150 cuts in Germany, while preparing to divest subsidiaries Oxeno and Syneqt.
- Sep 15
German Actor Ralf Richter, Star of Das Boot and Bang Boom Bang, Dies at 69
German actor Ralf Richter, known for his breakthrough in Das Boot and his cult portrayal of Kalle Grabowski in Bang Boom Bang, died overnight at age 69 following health complications.
- Aug 23
Rot-Weiss Essen eliminates FC St. Pauli from DFB-Pokal with 2:0 victory
Third-tier Rot-Weiss Essen advanced to the DFB-Pokal second round on Sunday with goals from Marek Janssen and Semir Telalovic, extending FC St. Pauli's winless start to three matches.
- Aug 22
Venomous scorpion stings passenger at Düsseldorf Airport after flight from Greece
A 52-year-old traveler was hospitalized after being stung by an eight-centimeter deathstalker scorpion that had concealed itself inside her jacket during a flight from the Greek island of Kos to Germany.
- Aug 15
18 lawsuits filed after million-euro safe deposit box heist at Gelsenkirchen Sparkasse
Customers of a Gelsenkirchen Sparkasse robbed in a late-2025 heist targeting over 3,000 safe deposit boxes have filed 18 lawsuits seeking full compensation, as a court-appointed expert review and a dispute over insurance payouts continue.
- Aug 6
RWE abandons US offshore wind for $1.22 billion gas pivot deal with Trump
German energy giant RWE will cancel all three of its US offshore wind leases and redirect $1.22 billion into LNG and natural gas projects after concluding no permit path exists under the Trump administration.
- Jul 25
Truck crash damages Essen bridge, disrupts rail links into Saturday
A truck collision in Essen-Frillendorf damaged a railway bridge on Friday, forcing Deutsche Bahn to close the Essen-Gelsenkirchen line and reroute three regional services. The closure was lifted Saturday afternoon, but speed restrictions remain.
- Jul 22
North Rhine-Westphalia summer holidays: free barefoot paths, centenary toboggan runs and wildlife parks for under €2
As summer holidays begin in Germany's most populous state, families can choose from a barefoot trail with a suspension bridge, a 100-year-old toboggan run at €1 a ride, and a free open-air pool in a former colliery.
- Jul 20
German asking rents jump 4% in Q2, outpacing inflation as Cologne leads with 7.9% surge
Asking rents across Germany climbed 4.0% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, far exceeding the 2.6% inflation rate, according to a new study by the German Economic Institute (IW).
- Jun 29
At least 26 men and boys drown in Germany over the hottest weekend of the year as DLRG warns on overconfidence and alcohol
Rescue services across Germany responded to a surge of fatal bathing accidents from Friday to Sunday, with the DLRG water rescue organisation counting at least 26 dead, none of them female.
- Jun 24
Deutsche Bahn blames technical update for nationwide train halt that stranded thousands
A botched maintenance swap on Deutsche Bahn’s internal radio system brought all passenger and freight trains to a stop late Tuesday, leaving passengers stranded and prompting renewed criticism of the state-owned operator.
- Jun 15
Trial opens in Düsseldorf for Islamist knife attacks in Essen
An 18-year-old Kosovar student went on trial Monday accused of Islamist-motivated knife attacks on a teacher, a school janitor, and a homeless man in Essen, as well as searching for Jews to kill at the city's Old Synagogue.
- Jun 11
First civil trials open over Gelsenkirchen safe-deposit heist, with 650 victims claiming €51 million
Two customers are suing Sparkasse Gelsenkirchen for a combined €440,000, arguing the bank failed to secure its vault. Their lawyer represents 650 claimants seeking over €51 million in total.
- Jun 9
Erfurt tops German happiness ranking as city size and social fabric shape life satisfaction
The Thuringian capital scores 7.74 out of 10 in the 2026 SKL Glücksatlas, while Rostock, Frankfurt and Wiesbaden bring up the rear in a survey of 40 major cities.
- May 27
Fürth narrowly avoids first relegation to third tier in 29 years, but fans demand a fresh start
SpVgg Greuther Fürth overturned a first-leg deficit to beat Rot-Weiss Essen 2-0 and preserve their 2. Bundesliga status, but the relief was immediately overshadowed by furious supporters demanding the dismissal of managing director Holger Schwiewagner.
