Germany’s wave of job cuts has continued to deepen in recent months, with fresh announcements affecting banks, manufacturers, technology firms and state‑owned companies.
Since this article was first published in late January, major employers including Commerzbank, BioNTech, Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn and AI‑powered translation firm DeepL have unveiled new or expanded plans to shed thousands of jobs.
The broader outlook has also darkened for Germany’s industrial base. The employers’ association Gesamtmetall warned in March that up to 150,000 jobs could be cut in the metal and electrical industry in 2026 alone, citing what it described as the sector’s “biggest crisis since the founding of the Federal Republic.”
High energy costs, taxation, social security contributions and bureaucracy were all blamed for accelerating deindustrialisation.
As we reported in January, a total of 16 percent of Germans consider their jobs “very insecure” or “somewhat insecure” according to a November 2025 survey by consulting firm EY – the highest level since 2009.
That survey also revealed that younger workers and those on lower incomes are most concerned: 21 percent of under-35s and 36 percent of those earning less than €25,000 a year fear for their jobs, compared to just 10 percent of over-55s and eight percent of those earning over €70,000.
So far, 2026 appears to offer little in the way of relief. Announcements of redundancies since January have come from a wide range of industries, including steel, aviation, media, banking and retail.
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One of the main things linking these companies is the fact that so many of them are household-names, including giants like Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn, Lufthansa, and Commerzbank.
Layoffs announced in the last few months include:Â
Automotive and industrial sector
The German automotive and industrial sector is facing a wave of significant job cuts, with several household-name companies announcing or agreeing major reductions since late-2025.
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IAV: Automotive supplier IAV announced plans in May to cut 1,400 jobs in Germany, alongside the sale of its Berlin site by 2027.
The company cited overcapacity, a downturn in external development contracts and the wider crisis in the automotive industry. IG Metall has vowed to fight what it described as “mass layoffs”.
Volkswagen: In March, Volkswagen said it would cut around 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 across the group, extending beyond the already agreed 35,000 job losses at its core brand.
The additional cuts are expected to affect Audi, Porsche and software unit Cariad, with the company blaming weak demand, fierce Chinese competition, US tariffs and high costs.
Back in March last year, Audi had previously revealed it would cut 7,500 jobs in Germany by 2029.
In January, German auto supplier Aumovio announced plans to cut up to 4,000 jobs worldwide. The cuts, amounting to almost five percent of the group's staff, are expected to affect sites in Germany, as well as a number of other countries.
Other automotive companies had also made recent announcements of job cuts.
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MAN, a Volkswagen subsidiary specialising in truck and bus manufacturing, announced in November that it would reduce its German workforce by 2,300 jobs, representing about 20 percent of its staff in the country.
The company plans to shift production to Poland – and announced the cuts would be achieved through voluntary measures such as early retirement, with completion targeted by 2030.
Ford confirmed in September that up to 1,000 jobs would be lost at its Cologne plant. The redundancies were set to begin in January, when the plant moves to operating just one shift per day.
Bosch, a leading automotive supplier, said in September that it would cut 13,000 jobs, mostly within its automotive unit. This represents about 10 percent of Bosch’s German workforce. The timing for these cuts has not yet been specified.
ZF Friedrichshafen, following negotiations with its general works council and IG Metall union, announced in October that 7,600 jobs would be cut in its Electrified Powertrain Technology division.
ZF Friedrichshafen is a major German company specialising in engineering and manufacturing, particularly in the automotive and industrial sectors.
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The restructuring is set to be completed by 2030, with the aim of strengthening competitiveness and avoiding compulsory redundancies.
Tesla’s Gigafactory in Grünheide, Brandenburg, reported in January that its workforce had shrunk by around 1,700 employees over the previous two years, dropping from 12,415 to 10,703. The company attributes the decline to normal fluctuation rather than formal layoffs.
But Elon Musk's automotive and robotics company Tesla also announced in late April that it would hire more than 1,000 new staff in Germany, a rare bright spot in the country's struggling auto industry.
A company spokeswoman told AFP that the new employees would be added at Tesla's factory outside Berlin by the end of June.
"Separately, the search has already begun for several hundred new employees for battery cell production, which is scheduled to start in the first half of 2027," she added.
Aviation
The aviation sector is also under pressure, with Lufthansa announcing last September that it would cut 4,000 jobs, or nearly four percent of its workforce.
The majority of these layoffs will happen in Germany and affect administrative roles across the group, which includes Eurowings, Austrian, Swiss, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways. The cuts are expected to be completed by 2030.
In April, Lufthansa announced it was accelerating savings plans by closing regional subsidiary Cityline as the German aviation giant struggles with surging fuel costs due to the Iran war and a wave of labour strikes.
But no additional job losses have been announced at the time of writing as Lufthansa attempts to find jobs for affected staff at other airlines belonging to the group.
At the same time, an industrial dispute between the airline and two trade unions is ongoing.
Rail and Transport
Deutsche Bahn: Germany’s state railway said in February that it would cut around 6,000 jobs at its loss‑making cargo subsidiary DB Cargo, equivalent to roughly half of the unit’s German workforce.
The move is aimed at boosting profitability and reducing reliance on government funds amid an EU state‑aid probe.
Technology and biotech
AI‑powered translation firm DeepL announced in May that it would cut around 250 jobs, equivalent to a quarter of its workforce in Germany, after artificial intelligence made some roles redundant.
Also in May, BioNTech said it would halt operations at several German sites, affecting up to 1,860 jobs, after sales of its Covid‑19 vaccine fell sharply.
Retail & Food Sector
Aldi Süd, one of Germany’s largest food retailers, confirmed in January that up to 500 jobs would be cut at its headquarters in Mülheim an der Ruhr, mainly in accounting, HR and purchasing. The process reportedly began last year and will continue over the coming years.
The fashion retailer Zalando announded in January that it would close its logistics center in Erfurt at the end of September this year. Approximately 2,700 jobs are expected to be affected by the decision.Â
Banking
Commerzbank announced on May 8th that it would cut up to another 3,000 jobs, on top of the previously announced 3,900, as it seeks to defend itself against a hostile takeover bid from Italy’s UniCredit.
Ergo: Insurance firm Ergo said in February it would cut 1,000 jobs by 2030 as artificial intelligence is rolled out more widely, particularly in call centres and claims processing.
Steel Industry
Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe (TKSE) announced in January that 11,000 jobs have already been agreed for restructuring. But the union fears a further 2,000 to 3,000 jobs could still be lost. The cuts are centred in DĂĽsseldorf and Duisburg and remain subject to ongoing negotiations.
Chemicals Sector
Specialty chemicals group Lanxess said in March it would cut a further 550 jobs, two‑thirds of them in Germany. Administrative roles are expected to be hardest hit, with the company citing weak demand and a prolonged industry crisis.
Wacker Chemie, a major player in the chemicals industry, stated in November that it would cut 1,500 jobs, almost 10 percent of its workforce, mostly in Germany. The process is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
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Media and Broadcasting
Broadcaster RTL Germany announced in December that it would cut 600 jobs across the group as part of a restructuring programme. In January, the group revealed that 230 of these job losses would take place at RTL News.
The changes, affecting staff in Cologne and elsewhere, were expected to begin in January.
Germany's sportswear giants
Further layoffs are also looming at German sportswear giants Adidas and Puma.
Adidas had announced 500 redundancies to come toward the beginning of last year, while Puma had announced in October that around 900 roles would be cut by the end of 2026.
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