Germany faces multiple sabotage attempts on power infrastructure ahead of state elections

A suspicious object that could damage power lines has been found near a German substation for a third time this week. Meanwhile, Germany and EU partners are aiming to finalize 'return hubs' by year end.

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This was a roundup of news and analysis from Germany on Friday, September 4.

Germany and EU partners aim to finalize 'return hubs' by year end

Police investigate after suspicious object found near Dormagen electricity substation

Saxony-Anhalt parties launch final campaign push ahead of Sunday vote

Volkswagen to shed 100,000 jobs by 2030

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Hamm: Police helicopter in operation above substation

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Hamm: Police helicopter in operation above substation

Dmytro Hubenko Editor

Yet another police operation was underway in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Friday night after officers questioned five suspicious people close to an electrical substation near the town of Hamm.

According to the local Westfälischer Anzeiger newspaper, police were alerted to the presence of five people near a disused mining ventilation shaft which backs onto substation which is also no longer in operation.

A police helicopter was seen circling over the area.

Police said there was no immediate suspicion of attempted sabotage or terrorism but that they had received reports a fence having been climbed.

The incident came after several previous cases of sabotage and attempted sabotage across Germany this week (see below).

Police respond to explosives found near 2 Saxony substations

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Police respond to explosives found near 2 Saxony substations

Authorities in the eastern German state of Saxony said on Friday night that further explosive devices had been found close to two electrical substations in the eastern state of Saxony.

Police said an operation took place near the town of Bautzen.

"A police operation is taking place," a police spokesperson told German tabloid Bild. "For tactical reasons, we cannot comment on it."

Local public broadcaster MDR meanwhile reported that one of the searches took place near the village of Schleife, close to the state border with Brandenburg.

Saxony's state interior minister, Armin Schuster, told the DPA news agency that "unknown explosive contraptions" had been discovered.

"Police secured four objects at two locations and are proceeding with their defusal," he said.

The police operations in Saxony took place almost simultaneously with the storming of a vehicle linked to sabotage attempts in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

"Saxon security services are coordinating closely with those in other affected states," said Schuster.

German police storm sabotage suspect's vehicle

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

German police storm sabotage suspect's vehicle

Armed officers from Germany's elite Spezialeinsatzkommando (SEK) police unit located and stormed a truck thought to belong a man suspected of carrying out acts of sabotage against electrical infrastructure this week (see below).

The truck was located in the village of Niederzier near the town of Düren, in between the cities of Aachen and Cologne in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). One of the substations that was attacked was in the nearby town of Bergheim.

The vehicle was found to be empty and appeared to have been converted into a motorhome.

The suspect is believed to have fled on foot. NRW state Interior Minister Herbert Reul confirmed the operation and said the man would "not get far."

Niederzier is close to a large and controversial surface mine on the site of the ancient Hambach Forest (Hambacher Forst), most of which has been cleared to make way for mining operations.

The location has been the site of several occupations by environmental activists over the past 15 years, leading to clashes with police and arrests.

In a letter claiming responsibility for this week's sabotage efforts, the suspect sought by police said he was motivated by environmental concerns, in particular the "fight against fossil fuels."

German federal interior minister Alexander Dobrindt also said earlier (see below) that authorities suspected "climate extremism."

Interior minister suspects 'climate extremism' behind sabotage attempts

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Interior minister suspects 'climate extremism' behind sabotage attempts

German authorities believe a militant climate activist was behind a series of recent sabotage attacks on the country's power grid and are hunting for a 48-year-old suspect.

"We must assume that this is a case of climate extremism," said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Friday as officials confirmed that traces of explosives had been found in the suspect's flat in Gevelsberg in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).

On Tuesday, unknown perpetrators carried out acts of sabotage against power stations in NRW and in the northeastern state of Brandenburg. A further attempted attack occurred on Thursday evening near the town of Dormagen, also in NRW.

NRW state Interior Minister Herbert Reul said security officials and journalists were sent letters confessing to some of the acts, letters which contained precise details about the plans and in which "the author cites as his motive the fight against fossil fuels."

As for the suspect's whereabouts, Reul said he "wouldn't be surprised if he is still in Germany," adding: "This was intentional, this was a crime."

Germany and EU partners aim to finalize 'return hubs' by year's end

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Germany and other European Union countries are aiming to finalize so-called "return hubs," detention centers outside the bloc where they wish to send migrants whose asylum requests have been rejected, by the end of the year.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said "technical discussions" were underway with non-EU countries to establish controversial facilities.

The legality of the plans remains unclear under EU law, while human rights organizations have expressed criticism.

Read the full story here on DW.

Berlin: Hackers publish stolen data after deadline expires

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Berlin: Hackers publish stolen data after deadline expires

A ransomware group which claimed to have stolen terabytes of sensitive data form government agencies in Berlin has carried out its threat to publish the data online.

The hackers ‌had ​previously demanded a ransom of 30 bitcoin (around €2 million or $2.3 million) for the data, but authorities ​in ​the German ​capital refused to submit to extortion.

A countdown on the hackers' leak website reached zero at 3:35 p.m. on Friday. An initial link led to an error page but, around one hour later, the 5.8-terabyte package was indeed made available.

IT experts have nevertheless praised the Berlin Senate's refusal to pay – which it would be legally unable to do anyway.

"If you continue to support these groups with money or in other ways, they'll just carry on," Bianca Kastl from Chaos Computer Club told local public broadcaster RBB. "You have to bleed them out financially."

The hacker group, which calls itself Rhysida, claimed to have acquired around 1.44 million files, including over 5,000 personal files and sensitive information on fines, pay checks, parliamentary committee meetings and even details on the vulnerabilities of Berlin's drinking water system.

Half of VW's job cuts will be in Germany, Lower Saxony's state premier says

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Half of VW's job cuts will be in Germany, Lower Saxony's state premier says

Nearly half of Volkswagen's 50,000 job cuts will be in Germany, with no agreement on plant closure, Lower Saxony's state Premier Olaf said on Friday

Lies is also a member of the group's supervisory board, .

The premier stressed that stopping car production in plants such as Emden or Hanover is unimaginable. He added that there was a chance to retain production at German plans by considering other perspectives.

"The day before yesterday, there was ​talk of closing the plants. With the decision [on the group's future], there ⁠is ​an opportunity to create prospects ​both in car manufacturing and, where that ​might not be ‌possible, through other ways," Lies said.

Late on Thursday, VW announced a major restructure that averted an escalation with unions and shareholders (see below.)

July sees sharp jump in German factory orders

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

July sees sharp jump in German factory orders

German factory orders climbed in July for the third month in a row, according to official data from federal statistics office Destatis released on Friday,

Month-on-month industrial orders rose 2.5%, beating one expectation of just a 0.5% increase in a poll of analysts by the financial data platform FactSet.

The increase was mainly driven by an "exceptionally high volume" of large-scale orders for ships, railway rolling stock and aircraft, according to a Destatis press release.

Industrial orders serve as an indicator of future business activity, and the recent increase is being interpreted by some analysts as a sign Germany's struggling economy is starting to recover.

This week, the Ifo and RWI economic research institutes both sharply revised their 2026 GDP growth forecasts higher by 1.3 to 1.4%

"It has been a long while since such we have had such positive headlines about the German economy," LBBW bank analyst Jens-Oliver Niklasch told AFP news agency.

Factors including high energy prices, the rise of Chinese exports in competitive markets, and a faltering automotive sector have all weighed heavily on Germany's growth in recent years.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to borrow and spend hundreds of billions of euros in the coming years to boost industrial growth, mainly through defense and infrastructure.

Is Germany's weak economy boosting the right-wing AfD?

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Hybrid attacks 'no coincidence' ahead of Sunday's state election — Interior Ministry

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Hybrid attacks 'no coincidence' ahead of Sunday's state election — Interior Ministry

A German Interior Ministry spokesperson said it is "no coincidence" that several suspected acts of sabotage on electrical infrastructure have taken place this week, just days ahead of an important state election in Saxony-Anhalt.

"In the context of the ‌upcoming elections ... there is ‌an expectation that this may increase," the spokesperson said at a regular news conference.

Polling shows the election in the eastern German state on Sunday could see the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) come out on top, and potentially be able to govern a German state for the first timewith an outright majority.

Police are investigating at least three suspected power grid sabotage attempts this week; two in North Rhine-Westphalia, and one in Brandenburg. Officials have not yet named suspects or a motive in any of the incidents.

Saxony-Anhalt election: Can the CDU stop the AfD?

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Open electrical cabinet sparks police operation at Lower Saxony substation

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Open electrical cabinet sparks police operation at Lower Saxony substation

Early Friday morning, a police patrol spotted an open cabinet at a power substation in the village of Ganderkesee, near Bremen in the northwestern state of Lower Saxony.

The find comes amid three suspected acts of sabotage at different substations in Germany over the past week.

The officer who spotted the open cabinet called in additional personnel, a police spokesperson said Friday.

"Due to the special significance of the technical facility, the premises were immediately and thoroughly searched," the spokeswoman wrote.

No damage or unauthorized persons were found at the location.

"At no time was there any danger to the public," the spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, police near the western German city of Aachen are searching an area near a power plant in Weisweiler after receiving a letter from a man claiming responsibility for attempted sabotages elsewhere in Germany this week, and naming Weisweiler as a potential target.

Police have not said whether the man's claims are credible, nor whether any suspicious objects have been found during Friday morning's search.

Germany's Zverev reaches third round of US Open

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Germany's Zverev reaches third round of US Open

German tennis player Alexander Zverev came out on top after after a five-set clash with France's Quentin Halys at the US Open .

The four-hour 33-minute marathon at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City saw Zverev beat Halys 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-3.

The match was the second in a row for Zverev ending after 2 a.m. following a first-round five-setter against 89th-ranked Lorenzo Sonego on Wednesday.

After the second-round win, 2026 French Open winner Zverev said he wasn't happy with his performance, "but I won, that's the most important thing."

"I'm winning ugly right now. It's also a skill to win ugly and when you're not playing great tennis. I think I've mastered that right now," he said.

"Physically, I feel fine. I am proud, I think, to be physically quite strong. I just hope at some point I'll start playing better tennis," Zverev added.

His next match is set for Saturday against Chilean Alejandro Tabilo.

Suspects in Munich arson attack to appear in court

09/04/2026September 4, 2026

Suspects in Munich arson attack to appear in court

The Bavarian State Criminal Police Office (LKA) on Friday said a 28-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man detained in connection with an arson attack in Munich are due to appear in court where a judge will decide whether to issue a formal arrest order.

Early Thursday morning, police were called to a fire at a construction site located near buildings in Munich's Berg am Laim neighborhood belonging to defense tech companies, in