Germany’s chances of recovery are going from bad to worse as the nation’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which form the backbone of the economy, grapple with mounting challenges amid prolonged economic stagnation. DW News correspondent Daniel Winter recently spoke to Hans-Jürgen Völz, the chief economist of the industry association representing SMEs, to discuss what needs to happen in order to save German industry.
The economic outlook for Germany, once considered the powerhouse of the European Union, has been increasingly bleak as SMEs face a multitude of difficulties. With an economy heavily reliant on these smaller businesses, their struggles have wide-reaching implications for the country as a whole.
Völz’s insights shed light on the critical situation facing German industry, highlighting the urgent need for measures to support and revitalize SMEs. As the economic backbone of the nation, it is essential that these businesses receive the necessary assistance to weather the storm and facilitate a much-needed recovery.
With Germany’s economy in a fragile state, the challenges ahead are daunting. As the nation navigates these turbulent waters, the resilience and innovation of its SMEs will be crucial in determining the path to economic recovery. The road ahead remains uncertain, but decisive action and support for small and medium-sized enterprises will be instrumental in securing a brighter future for Germany’s economy.
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Video “Germany's chances of recovery are going from bad to worse | DW News” was uploaded on 04/08/2025 to Youtube Channel DW News
Germany is rich right? Will buying weapon now and still sending money to Ukraine. That can do only rich country.
To fully understand SME's role in germany: they are not only major employers but also part of a culture of resilience to change, innovation and improvements for the last 30+ years. Most of the hidden champions were formed 50 or more years ago. Startups are far and few between for a reason: German burearucracy is also in a way an intentional glass ceiling to stiffle competition against established SMEs. Some of the answers by Mr. Völz are really questionable: claiming exploitation of the labor force being prohibited by a shortage of skilled workers can be disproven by a simple look at the hospitality industry, where tax evasion and labor violations are fairly common place despite a lack of skilled workers. The interviewer is right to persist on his line of questioning. Not only are SMEs borrowing less to invest in their own future – they are also hoarding their capital in astonishing amounts. SMEs have a huge potential to invest with fairly good conditions yet are asking for a handout and major market reforms with regards to China. Yet many SMEs made deals in China in early the 2000s knowing very well that after 20 to 30 years time of huge profits, they would've created their own chinese competition. Yes China is subsidizing a lot, but many German SMEs are the reason those subsidized chinese companies even exist in the first place.
Germany will bounce back, but recovery will require sound energy policies and a changed mindset. Net zero is misguided. Germany should re-embrace nuclear energy and hydrocarbons (except for coal, easily the dirtiest of the bunch). Germany should look eastward for its trade and energy. The future of European dynamism is with Eastern Europe.
Re-engage with Russia. Once Germany secures a steady and cost-effective supply of energy, its industries will take off.
Germany is not this great power that Vander Lyon and others make it out to be.
No fuel, no industries 🤷
The reporter is blaming China for everything. Nonsense
This guy hates china to the core coz every question he asks is china😂
This guy is lobbyists of companies, not people.
We need to be opposite of Trump and remove all tariffs with China so we can all buy cut price cars from China. I don’t want to buy cars where I have to contribute to someone’s pension, health care etc. Germans keep saying that they are globalists so practice what you preach and get rid of tariffs
Rheinmetall and others are increasing their value. With 500 billion investment on defense, I wouldn't worry much… maybe vw and others have to make some line conversions. But I wouldn't worry to much.
Don't know how remarkable Europeans see this interview, but as a citizen of the USA, this seems phenomenal! Hard questions from the interviewer, what seems like honest, thoughtful answers from the corporate representative… God, I am so jealous!
This guy is a lobbyist through and through.
Employers want a happy workforce? We live in a welfare society? When was the last time this guy worked, if ever, in a real company? 40 years ago?
For the last 40-50 years money was siphoned out of the economy and parked in overvalued stocks who are owned by banks, corporations and the very richest of the country, making this capital practically worthless for the economy. That's not even touching the tax situation.
At the same time wages haven't kept up with inflation, education, healthcare, and other social security were gutted, because the country was equally robbed by the same people.
And while banks and large corporations were bailed out time and time again, which does irreparable damage to a "free" market, smaller companies, the very backbone of Germanys industry that he talked about, were never supported and died.
People like him helped ruin Germany and all other Western countries, and now they complain and want even more sacrifices from the average population, while, of course, nothing should change for large corporation, banks, and the people who can afford to pay.
Germany is not America. Germans are clever, they have initiative. I hope and more hope they will get their manufacturing back on track. Europe needs a strong DE just like its needs all the benefits the restof Europe bring.
Great interview! I lived in Germany for a few years and worked for one of the biggest companies there. I didn’t leave because of the job itself, but because I felt stuck. People were very traditional, and the bureaucracy made everything slow and complicated. In today’s business world, it’s not enough to have cool technology or be innovative on the surface. To really grow and compete, you need people who are excited about change—people who want to try new things and truly believe in doing things differently. In my experience, Germany struggles with that. The system is too strict, and people are often afraid to think outside the box. That’s a big problem—especially for a country that leads the world in car manufacturing.
Mr völz made factual arguments but he started to sound wrong to me when he started talking about environmental policy,one cannot shift the blame as companies around the world have teied to for the last 80 years and think they can get away with it.If a bussines is not willing to adapt then it will get concurred out by the competition,simple market based economics.Hoarding money and not investing back into the bussines is also something that to many companies today do,no matter nationality, but in europe this is significantly pronounced.
@DW News Is the goal of DW to promote Germany or hurt it? The title lads in a time of crisis i see as misguided. i don`t mind hard questions, but not leading manipulation towards a Transatlantic based neoliberal agenda.
Its really cute when people go "its unfair that China's companies are subsidized" it sounds like a skill issue. Did politicians forget they can do industrial policies too?
This guy has his head stuck in the sand, he is not realistic. The EU will be a poor back water riddled with crime.
Germany recovered from WW2 because it was supported by USA against the USSR in the western side, the other supported country, in the eastern side of USSR was Japan. In this case it does seem like Germany is no longer supported by USA. This makes a huge difference. So I wouldn't say that German economy will bounce back because it has recovered after 2 world wars. It was a different story.
German bosses would love to strip down labor regulations, but at the same time they are hypocrites. German companies have been pushing much of their production to Poland, Romania, Hungary and other central European countries with lower wages and lower worker rights.
Their problem isn't labor regulations, but inability to think strategically and modernize their processes. Like many bosses the problem is always in the workforce.
I disagree. The German auto industry needs to start converting a % of their manufacturing to military industrial complex. We cannot rely on Trump against Putin. We should use our factories to create arms and military vehicles. Our allies need arms, we need arms, and the profit margins are higher.
I have been around a long time. I have worked in the technical fields in America, Australia, and Europe. It is my opinion that the quality and excellence of German designed and manufactured products of all kinds are the best in the world. For the sake of the advancement of humanity, the German leaders must revitalize their industry.
DW tries to deflect blame from german government every chance it gets
EU big enemy is shadow. President Trum dont like Germen whise President hate Europe. they saying China is enemy is big shadow of friworld hasitate, and they really hateing EU.
because of EU almost great like USA, that's American dont like and they hate. Now on China development cannot tolerate by USA too.
If you give opportunities for English speakers, your peoblem will be solved instantly.
What happened to the Nordstream pipeline 2 investigation?
Bureaucracy slows things down n lack of innovations in tech is also a factor. Nowadays u cant start a successful business in Europe its sad. Germany used to be a power house of innovation n engineering.
Herr Völz kept saying Germany recovered from 2 world wars but he forgot that current Germany has to recover from bad policies and not a war.
Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.
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