Trump criticises Powell after Fed holds Interest rates steady
US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell following the central bank’s decision to keep interest rates un...
For three generations, the Liebigs built railcars in Görlitz. Now, the factory that shaped their lives will produce parts for battle tanks.
Next year, Germany’s oldest train plant will begin manufacturing components for Leopard II tanks and Puma fighting vehicles. The shift follows a takeover by defence contractor KNDS, after train maker Alstom opted to shut the site and move production abroad.
Carsten Liebig, who retired in 2021, welcomed the jobs—but not the reason.
“What’s very sad for me personally is that we still need arms production,” he said.
KNDS has pledged to retain 350 of the plant’s 700 workers. But the loss of an industry that defined Görlitz for 176 years marks more than a transition—it marks the end of an identity.
Across eastern Germany, the mood is familiar. First came the economic collapse after reunification. Now, post-pandemic inflation and the loss of cheap Russian gas have brought a second reckoning.
Output in Germany’s most energy-intensive sectors has fallen 20% since 2021. A quarter of a million manufacturing jobs have disappeared since Covid began.
But defence is growing. And for some, it offers the only light.
“These kinds of changes to industrial sites will continue,” said Görlitz mayor Octavian Ursu.
“Large investments are flowing into rearmament.”
German defence spending has jumped nearly 80% since 2020. Companies like Rheinmetall and Thyssenkrupp have added over 16,000 jobs—and plan 12,000 more by 2026.
KNDS says Görlitz offers what it needs: skilled welders, ready now.
Retraining is the new recruitment. Bank of America analyst Benjamin Heelan notes the shift:
“Companies are targeting workers from shrinking industries—bringing them in, retraining them, repurposing them.”
But the math doesn’t add up yet. One Continental worker has joined Rheinmetall. Tens of thousands remain in limbo.
Defence firms are growing—and paying out. Rheinmetall will raise dividends by 42% this year. Hensoldt by 25%. Renk by 40%. The state invests. Shareholders benefit.
Still, not everyone supports Berlin’s military pivot.
In Görlitz, the far-right AfD scored 37% in recent elections—nearly half the town backed parties opposing arms for Ukraine.
“Do these tanks go to Ukraine?” asked Sebastian Wippel of the AfD.
“That would not be good.”
Even Saxony’s prime minister, Michael Kretschmer—long critical of weapons deliveries—supports the new jobs.
“This is an enormous opportunity for the city,” he said.
“The technology will serve to protect Europe.”
KNDS has made no promises about how long tank production will last. And unions are asking the same question.
“Will tank manufacturing be a sustainable job?” said IG Metall’s Axel Drescher.
“Hopefully not. Hopefully, the wars will end.”
Carsten Liebig, standing in the shadow of the only workplace he’s ever known, had no illusions.
“The world moves on,” he said.
“All we can do is hope the jobs stay.”
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, in a meeting held at Netanyahu’s office. Details of their discussions were not disclosed.
The United States has imposed sanctions on officials from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), accusing them of undermining peace efforts with Israel.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Thursday, July 31.
A lightning strike measuring 829 kilometres observed in the United States in October 2017 has been confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as the longest recorded lightning event.
In a sharp policy shift, Slovenia has suspended all arms-related trade with Israel, deepening its stance on the Gaza conflict and aligning with its earlier recognition of a Palestinian state.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment