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Germany news: Police say arson attack targeted defense firm
Germany news: Police say arson attack targeted defense firm
Matt Ford | Mark Hallam | Wesley Rahn with AFP, AP, dpa, ReutersPublished 09/03/2026Published September 3, 2026last updated 09/04/2026last updated September 4, 2026Two people were arrested in connection with a small fire at a construction site near a defense tech company in Munich. Investigators are looking at a possible "political motive."
https://p.dw.com/p/5KiBVWhat you need to know
This blog is now closed. It was a roundup of news and analysis from Germany on Thursday, September 3.
- Volkswagen to cut 100,000 jobs by end of decade
- Police in Bavaria are investigating an attempted attack on a defense firm
- Russia shuts down Germany's 'Goethe Institut' culutral centers
- Foreign ministers from Germany, France and Poland to meet in Weimar for talks
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Skip next section Thank you for reading09/04/2026September 4, 2026Thank you for reading
We're closing the blog today. Thank you for reading, we'll be back tomorrow again!
https://p.dw.com/p/5L2UPSkip next section Volkswagen to cut 100,000 jobs by end of decade09/03/2026September 3, 2026Volkswagen to cut 100,000 jobs by end of decade
Dmytro Hubenko EditorGerman automobile giant Volkswagen announced on Thursday that it would be cutting a total of 100,000 jobs by the end of the decade in what is set to be the biggest restructuring ever seen in the global car industry.
The company said that management and trade unions had approved a plan involving the reduction of a further 50,000 jobs, in addition to 50,000 redundancies already agreed.
"It is essential to systematically align workforce levels with economic realities," read a statement from the multi-brand Volkswagen group which, apart from VW itself, also includes Audi and Porsche.
The total of 100,000 cuts amount to about 15% of Volkswagen staff worldwide. The cull eclipses the 50,000 job cuts General Motors made after it declared bankruptcy in 2009.
Unions and management had publicly rowed before signing off on the plans, with the former accusing the latter of not been honest with the workforce after the figure of 100,000 possible job cuts surfaced in the media before being communicated internally.
'The motor of the entire region'
What's more, Volkswagen also said the long-term future of four major German plants – in Hannover, Emden, Zwickau and Neckarsulm — could not be guaranteed. Their closure would mark the first full-scale shuttering of Volkswagen factories in its home country.
"If this plant really were shut down, you could put a big black spot on the map," one long-term employee in Zwickau, Saxony, told the AFP news agency.
"The plant and the jobs outside it, our suppliers, they're the motor of the entire region."
Caught between US tariffs, Chinese competition and a sluggish growth in demand for electric vehicles, Europe's largest carmaker is in trouble.
But CEO Oliver Blume insisted that the decision to cut 100,000 jobs sent "a strong signal for the future of the Volkswagen Group."
Volkswagen crisis: Emden plant closure impacts whole region
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https://p.dw.com/p/5L2TnSkip next section Terminal 1 of BER airport in Berlin cleared after potential security scare09/03/2026September 3, 2026Terminal 1 of BER airport in Berlin cleared after potential security scare
Federal police say they evacuated Terminal 1 of Berlin's main airport on Thursday evening.
This was the result of a luggage security scare. A woman told officials she had a dangerous substance in her luggage, a claim that could not be immediately discounted. As a result, police cleared the building to investigate.
You can read the full, still developing story here.
https://p.dw.com/p/5L2LpSkip next section Police checking claim of responsibility for Brandenburg power station attack09/03/2026September 3, 2026Police checking claim of responsibility for Brandenburg power station attack
Brandenburg police say they are investigating a lead on the apparent sabotage attempt targeting the electricity network near the Jänschwalde power plant in eastern Germany.
"A claim of responsibility in connection with the attack in Turnow-Preilack has come to our attention," police wrote on social media on Thursday evening.
"The authenticity of the text is currently being checked."
The apparent attack targeted high-voltage power lines near the coal-fired power plant with projectiles that state Interior Minister Jan Redmann said were similar to fireworks. It was discovered on Tuesday.
Authorities instigated investigations into a potential terrorist crime, given the seemingly intentional targeting of key state infrastructure.
Earlier on Thursday, police had said operations investigating the attempted sabotage continued and that traffic disruptions in the local area would persist, particularly on the L50 road.
News also broke this week of an potential sabotage attempt targeting a power station in Bergheim near Cologne.
Earlier this year, the far-left "Vulkangruppe" claimed responsibility for an attack on Berlin's power infrastructure that led to widespread power outages during particularly cold midwinter week.
https://p.dw.com/p/5L2CgSkip next section Mass production of drones for Ukraine begins in Munich09/03/2026September 3, 2026Mass production of drones for Ukraine begins in Munich
The mass production of over 5,000 medium and long-range combat drones for Ukraine has started near Munich, according to the defense company Auterion.
The first drones were assembled under an order for the German government, Auterion and its Ukrainian joint-venture partner Airlogix said. Auterion is providing AI-powered software for the drones while Airlogix is providing the hardware.
The order is due for completion by mid 2027.
Industry sources estimate the order is worth some €300 million ($348 million).
The Ukrainian partnership was established in February this year.
The drones are part of Berlin's support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
Auterion is headquartered in the US state of Virginia but it maintains a major software development hub in Munich.
https://p.dw.com/p/5L1trSkip next section More journalists attacked at far-right campaign events, union says 09/03/2026September 3, 2026More journalists attacked at far-right campaign events, union says
Ahead of Sunday's election in Germany's eastern Saxony-Anhalt state, a German journalist union has recorded an increase in attacks on journalists covering campaign events of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The German Journalists' Association (DJV) said reporters faced dozens of instances of verbal abuse and obstruction of their work. Physical assault was reported in five cases.
The DJV called for consistent prosecution of those responsible for the attacks. It also said police must do more to ensure that journalists can report without being hindered.
The association expects a robust operational strategy to protect press freedom, DJV chair Mika Beuster said in a press release.
Polling shows the AfD with a commanding lead in Saxony-Anhalt, with the party aiming to secure enough votes to have a ruling majority in the state.
Amid far right's rise, is Germany at a breaking point?
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https://p.dw.com/p/5L1k0Skip next section Bavarian interior minister connects arson incident with other attacks 09/03/2026September 3, 2026Bavarian interior minister connects arson incident with other attacks
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said Thursday that "arson attacks" early Thursday morning were targeting "defense and security companies in Munich" and likely had a "political background."
Two Bulgarian citizens were arrested after incendiary devices were thrown at a construction site, located in the immediate vicinity of the office buildings of defense contractors.
Police, who were called to the scene by a witness shortly after midnight, extinguished one small fire that didn't cause any damage, and defused a second incendiary device with a bomb disposal unit.
The incident comes as tensions are high in Germany following two suspected acts of sabotage targeting power infrastructure this week. It also comes as the German government on Tuesday officially blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport on August 4.
Bavaria's interior minister connected Thursday's arson incident with a broader trend.
"Overall, this incident shows that — as has already been the case in other parts of Germany in recent days — we now face an increased risk of attacks," said Herrmann.
"What we are seeing are attempted or actual attacks, such as the one at the Leipzig airport, the power substations in recent days, and now, specifically, attacks targeting companies active in the defense and security sectors."
The Bavarian Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism (ZET), which is part of the Munich State Attorney General's Office, has taken over the investigation of the arson incident.
The public prosecutor's office stated that the investigation is focusing on whether this was a targeted attack on one of the companies housed in the nearby buildings.
"We must take these risks very seriously and be prepared for the possibility that something like this could happen any day, anywhere else in Germany," Herrmann said,
Bavaria's Minister of Economic Affairs, Hubert Aiwanger, called for better protective measures.
"We must face the reality that cowardly attacks on German companies and infrastructure are on the rise," he said. "Unfortunately, this is not the first time a technology company with ties to the security and defense industries has been targeted."
https://p.dw.com/p/5L1dESkip next section UK summons Russian charge d'affaires over attempted drone attack in Germany 09/03/2026September 3, 2026UK summons Russian charge d'affaires over attempted drone attack in Germany
he UK on Thursday summoned the Russian charge d'affaires to condemn an attempted drone attack at Germany's Leipzig/Halle airport last month.
Earlier this week, the German government held Russia responsible, and European Union foreign ministers this week have signalled they will be working on a new package of sanctions targeting Russian individuals and entities.
"The UK stands in full solidarity with Germany following Russia's egregious and reckless attack on Leipzig Airport," a UK Foreign Office spokesperson said.
This incident was "the latest in a clear pattern of attempts by the Russian state to undermine our collective security," the spokesperson added.
Russia has rejected the allegations, which German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has said were a part of a "well-established patter of Russian hybrid operations in Europe."
The UK has been one of Ukraine's strongest supporters since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, and enforces its own heavy sanctions, while supplying arms.
Earlier this week, when asked if Russia would launch strikes on military facilities inside the UK in retaliation for British weapons being used on Russian soil, President Vladimir Putin said with sarcasm, "that's a secret, a military secret."
Acts of sabotage linked to Russia surge in Europe
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https://p.dw.com/p/5Kx41Skip next section Fuel prices in Germany crack all time high 09/03/2026September 3, 2026Fuel prices in Germany crack all time high
Gasoline prices in Germany have reached a new record high, the ADAC automobile association said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, drivers paid an average of €2.215 per liter for E10, the lowest-cost gasoline grade, the ADAC reported. That corresponds to about $9.73 per US gallon.
The previous record was set in March 2022, after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, as sanctions disrupted energy supplies.
This time, high prices are being driven by the ongoing war in Iran, which has driven up oil prices. Germany had applied a temporary fuel tax discount on gasoline to alleviate pressure on consumers, but that expired at the end of June
The ADAC considers the current price of gasoline to be too high, "because the price of oil is well below the highs reached in the spring."
https://p.dw.com/p/5KsoOSkip next section German economic institutes raise growth forecasts 09/03/2026September 3, 2026German economic institutes raise growth forecasts
Germany's RWI and Ifo economic institutes have lifted growth forecasts for the German economy, citing stronger fiscal spending and exports.
In its latest assessment, the RWI said Germany's economy will grow by 1.3% in 2026, a sharp upward revision from the 0.8% growth predicted in June. The Ifo said German gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 1.4% in 2026 and 1.2% in 2027, both up from previous estimates of 0.8%.
According to the Ifo's assessment, the German federal government's debt-financed investment package and increased demand from abroad are contributing to this positive trend.
The Munich-based institute said that government spending on infrastructure, climate neutrality and defence provided fiscal stimulus worth €40 billion ($46.36 billion), or 0.8% of GDP, in 2026.
Both institutes assessed that fiscal spending and exports have been able to outweigh the drag from higher energy prices.
However, RWI cautioned that this export momentum would likely fade later this year because the recent gains were a temporary effect of the rebound from disruptions related to US tariffs last year.
Additionally, the RWI said high energy prices, bureaucracy and weak competitiveness continue to weigh on investment.
This comes along with severe weaknesses in Germany's critical automotive industry, which is hemorrhaging jobs and closing factories.
German industry shifts to defense production amid job losses
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https://p.dw.com/p/5KpZmSkip next section Russia closes Germany's 'Goethe Institut' cultural centers 09/03/2026September 3, 2026Russia closes Germany's 'Goethe Institut' cultural centers
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that Germany's Goethe-Institut cultural centers would be closed in Russia.
"Of course they will be closed after our cultural center was expelled from there [from Berlin]," Lavrov said, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
"They deliberately took this step — they could not have failed to understand — which means the end of their cultural presence in Russia," Lavrov said, according to state news agency TASS.
The comes after Germany blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at the Leipzig/Halle Airport. Germany's response to that incident included closing the Russian House cultural center in Berlin and the Russian consulate in Bonn.
Goethe operates in around 100 countries worldwide, promoting the study of the German language and providing information about German culture and society.
Russia's first Goethe-Institut opened in Moscow in 1992, shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Goethe-Institut is one of the last German institutions still operating in Russia.
Ex-Lithuanian FM: 'We are on a trajectory of escalation'
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https://p.dw.com/p/5KlrSSkip next section Police say Munich arson attack may have targeted defense company09/03/2026September 3, 2026Police say Munich arson attack may have targeted defense company
Following an arson attack on a construction site in Munich, the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (LKA) said Thursday it suspects the fire was an attempted attack on a company involved in the defense industry.
Investigators are looking into a possible political motive, an LKA spokesperson said. The spokesperson did not immediately identify the company involved.
However, the Bild newspaper reported that the fire was set at a construction site near the headquarters of Rohde & Schwarz, a technology company that produces communication systems for the Bundeswehr, among other things.
A spokesperson for the company confirmed the police and fire department response, emphasizing, however, "our company premises themselves are not affected," local public broadcaster BR reported.
Police said multiple incendiary devices were thrown from a vehicle at the construction site in Munich's Berg am Laim neighborhood early Thursday morning around midnight.
According to the LKA, various defense contractors are based in the nearby building complex.
At least one of the incendiary devices sparked a fire that police officers extinguished. Despite the fire, no major damage was caused, a Munich police spokesperson said. However, another incendiary device had to be defused by special forces.
Following a short manhunt, a 28-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, which the LKA said are both Bulgarian citizens, were arrested at a nearby gas station, and were being questioned Thursday.
Sabotage fears hit Germany's power grid
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https://p.dw.com/p/5KigQSkip next section Welcome to our coverage09/03/2026September 3, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Wesley Rahn | Louis Oelofse EditorGuten Tag from Bonn.
German media is abuzz this morning about a fire at a construction site in Bavaria that police say was an attempted attack on a defense firm. This comes after two power stations in Germany were the apparent target of sabotage attacks.
And also today Russia has shut down German cultural centersafter Germany blamed Moscow for an attempted drone attack at an airport in August.
Germany blames Russia for attempted terror attack in Leipzig
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