3 Sep 2026: Germany: 5 Stories

 1.  VW cost story....BILD did a comparison story over cost.  VW-to-build-a-car per hour?  74 Euro.

To run the factory (electrical, cooling, heat, etc)....VW has  drill around 4,850 Euro of each car to this detail.  

In simple terms....it makes little sense to continue making VW's in Germany...when you have thirty-odd countries with a lesser cost situation for man-hours, electrical, or natural gas.

Odds of VW being sold-off?  People would have laughed over this idea ten years ago....I'd say presently (within the next 2 years)....I'd give it a 25-percent chance of 'someone' (probably a Chinese company) buying them (to include Audi).

2.  Two Bulgarians arrested in Munich area....state-police of Germany involved.  Accused of arson attack on construction site....was to be for arms industry company.  Lot of questions coming out of this.

3.  German authorities 'hinting' that they may provide targeting 'advice' to Ukrainians....on where to hit Russia.

On my digging deeper into a conflict index (1-to-10).....this is a '8'.

4.  Curious saga coming up in Koln.  There's a something called the Coesfelder Liste (Coesfeld List).  It was started back in 2024....being a list of people legally required to leave Germany.

So, the way this started....late November 2024, the Zentrale Ausländerbehörde (the authority over foreigners) in the city of Coesfeld....sent out a list to cities of the state (NRW). 

Roughly 1,200 folks....they were vollziehbar ausreisepflichtig (meaning they were subject to enforceable deportation).  Various countries from the Balkan states and Albania/North Macedonia.

The state office offered to obtain replacement travel documents so the people could be deported more easily. 

The Koln office....didn't accept the offer....they more or less....lingered.

So....about a month ago...this list became public knowledge....with a Koln group (police say this part)....of 152 of the 471 people mentioned....linked to 568 offenses since November 2024.

Koln just innocently looking the 'other-way'?  Well....locals seem to have the view....someone either got blackmailed, influenced or bribed.

Forced prosecution efforts now?  Just from the talk....I'd say for remainder of 2026, and most of 2027....there's some intense legal stuff to occur.  

My humble view?  If you dug into all sixteen states....you'd probably view several more lists.

4.  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election poll?  Election in roughly 2 weeks.

AfD at 35-percent, with SPD closely at 32-percent.

CDU at 8-percent, Greens at 5-percent, and Linke at 11-percent.

While AfD likely wins....they will be unable to form a coalition.  SPD?  Presently....they probably can form a coalition with the Linke and Greens.

End-result....roughly one-third of Mecklenburg public rates the migration woes as a big deal, and there's not likely to be much 'resolving' over the next five years.  I'd say in 2031...AfD will probably have 40-to-45 percent on polls.

5.  4 August drone attempted attack at Leipzig Airport on a couple of planes?  Well....authorities have been busy.

Intended target was a AN-124 cargo plane.

Around 7:30 that evening (still sunlight)....police say drone was sent to strike a wing near the fuel tanks....oddly....the charge separated on impact and did NOT detonate.  Some time passed....a bus driver later found the device on the ground, and 'stomped' upon it.

DNA from the drones?  Well....fantastic amount of work....led to two suspects:

First guy....a Russian-born man holding a Latvian passport.  He's connected in some way to Russian intelligence.  He entered Germany in late July via Berlin Brandenburg Airport...rented a car, and simply drove over to Leipzig.  He stayed around for a day or two....then left Germany.

Second guy.....A Belarusian citizen who also holds a Russian passport. He had arrest records in Lithuania and Finland. He entered the Schengen region on an Italian tourist visa issued in Minsk in late April.  He also has departed the country.

On the attempt?  I don't think either guy has much background on drones....seems like they easily bungled this up, and the airport being extremely lucky.

Problem now?  Well....Germans now realize how easy this drone-warfare might go, and there's serious worries ahead.

Terror Acts?

 Two suspected sabotage incidents now reported.  Occurring at high-voltage substations on opposite sides of Germany.

First one....1 Sep....2nd one today....roughly 12-to-15 hours apart.

What the police say?   It would appear as some type of ground-launched homemade pyrotechnic projectiles.....stuff you'd build in the garage.

First one....Turnow-Preilack substation in Brandenburg.  Second one....Amprion-operated substation in Bergheim/Rheidt (Rommerskirchen area (Koln, North Rhine-Westphalia).

Yeah....it's hyped up the national authorities....suggesting it's Russians behind it.  

Failing in both attempts to take down the stations?  Yeah....that is a factor.

Any proof of the Russians?  No.

Based on the description....it's stuff that a 16-year old smart kid could assemble.

New Poll: Saxony-Anhalt State Election

 Likely the last poll before Sunday's election, by INSA:

AfD: 43-percent

CDU: 22-percent

SPD: 7-percent

Linke: 12-percent

Greens: 5-percent

So if you take the math-outcomes....projected seats....AfD will not have enough to avoid a coalition, and therefore....will not be the one building the coalition (left to the CDU).

Awkward position?  Well....for the CDU....they'd have to partner with the Linke folks, and this is  fairly big negative (nation-wide view) for CDU-voters.

Augsburg Grenade?

 Not much to say.

Around 9AM today....hand-grenade went off by a Turkish-run jewelry shop....near the main station of Augsburg.  Two students slightly wounded.

German cops think it's a crime gang-episode (not terror-related).  Trains were stopped briefly at the station.

2 Sep 2026: Germany: 2 Stories

 1.   All the bad-boy hype for Russia yesterday?  Basically....the Foreign Minister and the Interior Minister have come to agree....'enough'.....they intend to apply a number of things to get Putin's attention.  Economically, there was marginally anything left to screw with....but at this point, it's all 'gone'.

Putin's reaction?  Mostly....'a grave mistake' by Germany.  

More drone hybrid-warfare BS?  I'd suggest that.  

2. VW's board wants to terminate production at four plants:  Emden, Hanover, Zwickau, Neckarsulm.

Interview Chatter

The Chancellor gave a interview yesterday.....in the midst of it....the moderator noted that  "twenty-percent (of Germans) want to leave the country."

But the Chancellor was quick witted....responding....at least 80-percent want to stay.  Then he noted....'to where'.

The numbers game?  If 20-percent did up-and-leave....we'd go from 84-million down to around 67-million.  

Who are the twenty-percent?  Mostly folks determined that AfD cannot lead the country, or any Germany state.

Is it a bluff?  Well....not entirely.

There's a poll recently done which asked if you could leave....(nothing to do with AfD)....that one in five Germans are entertaining to exit.  Part of this group are people retiring and believing that they can get more bang-for-the-buck (like in Thailand or Turkey).  Some of the group are fed-up with job opportunities.  Some folks want to start a business....which usually is tough in Germany.

Out of this one-in-five group....I would imagine that 50-percent will get serious and write down some goals, and plans.  

Was Merz correct?  Where would folks go?  

If you challenged these folks hyped-up and against AfD.....most would be talking about European countries...where right-wing parties are also growing.  I doubt that they'd be happy to find this type of atmosphere at the 'new-land'.

After pondering this a good bit.....if the 20-percent were serious, I've come to realize that they are mostly of the SPD, Linke, and Green Party....plus some oddball folks in the CDU-CSU.  So you'd automatically go and help AfD in future elections, by lessening the opposition.

Wild times....I must admit.

Von der Leyen - Savings?

 EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a talk.....then suggested that Europe's 10 trillion Euro in private household bank savings accounts.....should be in some way....directed toward supporting companies and the economy..

How?  This was not really laid out in detail.

How she gave the talk?  Well...aimed at French employers....where she described these savings accounts in some form/way.....as "idle". 

The fact that the savings are 'loaned' in a way to the bank.....to loan toward companies/private individuals?  Missed in reality....I assume.

Banks likely to accept the idea?  I seriously doubt it.

Current savings rates (Germany)....for 3 to 6 months....around 4-percent.  I should note....this is the promotional rate to get you in the front-door

Risk factor with her idea?  That's the more bothersome thing to ponder.  

Why can't the EU attract investment folks?  Yeah....that's the key factor to this story.  If they aren't engaging....there's forty-odd questions to ask.

This Saxony-Anhalt State Election (6 Sep) A Big Deal?

 Well....it has become a bigger deal than normal....because AfD has the potential to win without the need for a coalition (meaning no partners).

If I offered 'odds'?  I'd say it's a 30-percent chance that AfD will get in the 44-to-45 percent range.  

No matter what....AfD gets first-place....probably unable to gain a coalition, and the CDU (2nd place) is put into a crappy position....where they form a state-gov't with the SPD, Greens, and Linke Party.  

In the aftermath of this gov't form....I might go and suggest nearly half of CDU-voters across the nation grumbling about the conditions laid down by the Linke Party to get their partnership.  In simple terms....it'll be discussed a good bit, and be seen as a negative for the CDU leadership.

The idea that some CDU-voters in the state are already grumbling and might vote AfD....just to send a message?  There might be a few, but it probably won't change the outcome of the election.

The news media 'framing' a lot of anti-AfD chatter?  Yes.  

Last night....I watched a commercial TV hour where they tried to lay out the story of AfD n the state.  They used 'good' refugees (working, tax-paying) to show that deporting is a bad agenda to support.  

So...come Sunday evening...the results will be laid out.  If you see AfD up around 44-percent or more....it's a big deal.  If you see the CDU bosses a bit gloomy over the prospect of a coalition where they have to partner with the Linke Party....that's also a big deal.