Skip next section Germany’s Bundeswehr turns 70
11/12/2025November 12, 2025
Germany’s Bundeswehr turns 70
The establishment of the German Bundeswehr, or armed forces, was controversial at the time, coming as it did just 10 years after the end of World War II, which was a result of German military aggression.
But now, Germany’s military plays a key role in ensuring Europe’s security.
DW has this article by Nina Werkhäuser on the history of the Bundeswehr and the tasks it might be expected to take on in the future: Germany’s Bundeswehr: A 70-year-long history
https://p.dw.com/p/53TqZ
Skip next section School enrollments down again for 2025/2026
11/12/2025November 12, 2025
School enrollments down again for 2025/2026
The number of children enrolling to start school in Germany has gone down once more.
Altogether, 811,500 children started school in the year 2025/2026, 18,200, or 2.2%, fewer than the year before, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Wednesday.
The northwestern state of Bremen, the smallest of Germany’s 16 states, was the only state not to see a drop, with the western state of Saarland registering the largest fall at -8.5%.
School enrollments in Germany rose continually from 2015, before sinking again from 2024/2025.
Destatis attributes the lower rate both to the sinking birth rate in 2019 and the reduction in immigration, particularly from Ukraine.
These meant that the number of German children of school age at the end of 2024 was 1.1% lower than the year before and that of foreign children 0.8% lower.
The school year in Germany begins after the summer holidays, generally in late August or early September, depending on the state.
https://p.dw.com/p/53Tcd
Skip next section Small business climate continues to deteriorate — Ifo index
11/12/2025November 12, 2025
Small business climate continues to deteriorate — Ifo index
Business confidence among solo self-employed people and very small companies in Germany went down once more in October, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research.
“Nineteen percent of self-employed currently fear that they will have to give up their businesses,” Ifo said.
German website builder Jimdo, which compiles the business confidence index together with Ifo, said self-employed people were struggling with a lack of orders, with 46.6% of respondents reporting too few commissions were coming in.
The figures cover self-employed people and business owners employing fewer than nine workers.
https://p.dw.com/p/53TEC
Skip next section Bundeswehr far better than its reputation, says Pistorius
11/12/2025November 12, 2025
Bundeswehr far better than its reputation, says Pistorius
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has come out in defense of the reputation of Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, as they mark the 70th anniversary of their existence.
“We are the ones who fly to Denmark and to Belgium to combat drones because we can do it and because we can deploy quickly,” he told public broadcaster WDR.
“What I see all the time is — and this is a German phenomenon […] — in no other country are the armed forces so maligned as in Germany,” he said.
“We are much better than our reputation,” Pistorius said, adding that the Bundeswehr was “in a really good place; we are growing up.”
Pistorius also said he hoped an agreement would be reached by the end of the week on a new military service law that is due to go into effect in January next year.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also praised the Bundeswehr on the anniversary, writing in a post on X: “Our soldiers have protect us all, our peace and our freedom — every day for 70 years. They make it possible for us to live in liberty and safety.”
Germany has been focusing on improving its defense capabilities in the face of the threat posed by growing Russian aggression as evidenced by Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022.
In the past, the Bundeswehr has often been accused of being under-equipped, under-staffed and inefficient.
https://p.dw.com/p/53TJw
Skip next section Inflation down to 2.3% in October — Destatis
11/12/2025November 12, 2025
Inflation down to 2.3% in October — Destatis
Inflation in Germany slowed slightly in October to 2.3%, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Wednesday, confirming preliminary data.
In September, inflation stood at 2.4% year-on-year.
“After two increases in succession, the rate of inflation in October went down again slightly,” Destatis President Ruth Brand said on the office’s website.
“The prices for services, which are still rising at an above-average rate, were the drivers,” she said
https://p.dw.com/p/53TKT
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage11/12/2025November 12, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in the former West German capital of Bonn!
Today marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Bundeswehr, or German armed forces, prompting Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to speak out against the criticism often leveled at them.
But if the army is in ever better shape, business sentiment in Europe’s largest economy remains clouded, with a new study showing that many self-employed fear for their existence.
Read on here for our coverage of the top talking points in Germany on Wednesday, November 12.
https://p.dw.com/p/53TEB
