Many buses, trams and underground services across Germany were disrupted on Monday as members of the trade union Verdi staged a nationwide strike aimed at municipal public transport employers. The action affected 15 of Germany’s 16 states, with Lower Saxony the only one not initially taking part after local employees agreed not to strike for now. Wintry weather compounded difficulties for commuters, schoolchildren and workers forced to find alternative travel.
Verdi said the industrial action was intended to press municipal authorities for better working conditions, including shorter working weeks and shifts, longer rest periods and higher bonuses for nighttime and weekend work. Negotiations on pay and conditions are ongoing in several states, including Bavaria, Brandenburg, Saarland and Thuringia, and at Hamburg’s underground network.
National rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) said its services were not affected because its suburban commuter trains and regional and long-distance services are not represented by Verdi. DB’s statement noted that services in major metropolitan areas — Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne, Nuremberg and the Rhein-Main region around Frankfurt — would run as usual where covered by DB rather than municipal operators.
Political and domestic headlines
– Chancellor Friedrich Merz, speaking to political and business leaders in Frankfurt, said changes in the transatlantic relationship with the United States mean Europe must strengthen technological independence and defense capabilities. Merz urged united, decisive action to create the conditions for a sovereign, free and economically prosperous Europe, adding he regretted the shift in transatlantic ties.
– Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius opened a new tech innovation center near Munich, saying innovation and technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence are key to future defense scenarios. The center in Erding aims to accelerate procurement and deployment of new systems for the armed forces by partnering with research, science and start-ups.
– German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul began a tour of Southeast Asia and the Pacific with talks in Singapore. He met Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan to discuss deepening political and economic ties, cooperation on future technologies and support for a rules-based international order. Wadephul’s tour will also include New Zealand, Tonga and Australia.
Crime, courts and enforcement
– A Chinese student went on trial in Munich accused of repeatedly drugging and raping his sedated partner and filming the assaults. Prosecutors allege he used injections and anesthetic-soaked cloth to keep the woman unconscious and charged him with multiple counts including attempted murder, grievous bodily harm and aggravated rape. The footage has been withheld from the public to protect the victim; the defendant did not speak at the first hearing.
– Daniel Halemba, a 24-year-old lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), was fined €30,400 by a court in Würzburg after being found guilty of money laundering and coercion. Tried in juvenile court for offenses committed in 2022, Halemba was convicted of transferring funds tied to fraud and intimidating a witness. He was acquitted on a separate charge of incitement to hatred related to an alleged banned song at a birthday party. Halemba and his lawyers say the charges are politically motivated.
– German customs and federal prosecutors arrested five people during nationwide raids on a network accused of circumventing EU sanctions on Russia. The suspects, of German, Ukrainian and Russian nationality, allegedly used shell companies to procure industrial goods for Russian defense firms since February 2022. Prosecutors estimate about 16,000 shipments worth at least €30 million were arranged. The arrests took place in Lübeck and the surrounding Herzogtum Lauenburg district.
Society and economy
– Official figures showed alcoholic beer sales in Germany fell by a record 6% in 2025 to 7.8 billion liters — the lowest since data collection began in 1993, and even below pandemic years 2020–21. The decline accompanies a rising market for nonalcoholic beer, which now accounts for about 10% of sales, reflecting changing consumer preferences.
– Growing numbers of refugees returned to their countries of origin in 2025 after receiving financial assistance through Germany’s REAG/GARP subsidy scheme. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) reported 16,576 voluntary returnees last year, up from 10,358 previously. The scheme covers flights and offers start-up payments (about €1,000 per adult and €500 per child). The increase was partly driven by the resumption of the program for Syrians in January 2025, with several thousand taking the offer.
– More American Jews are reclaiming German citizenship made available to victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants. DW highlighted the case of 103-year-old Holocaust survivor Ruth Gruenthal, among those reclaiming citizenship amid growing concerns about rising authoritarianism, racism and antisemitism in the United States.
Live coverage context
The strike was the lead story in DW’s live coverage on Monday, February 2, 2026, which also reported developments in politics, defense, crime, trade and social trends across Germany. The industrial action underscored ongoing tensions over public-sector working conditions and compensation, while other items reflected broader policy debates on security, international ties and social change.
