The number of corporate bankruptcies in Germany rose to its highest level since 2013 in the first half of the year. The ongoing weakness of the German economy is driving an increase in the number of companies filing for bankruptcy.
According to a survey by the Creditreform Association, there were 12,900 bankruptcies recorded, marking a 7.8% increase compared to the same period last year. “The rise in bankruptcies indicates a deep structural crisis within our companies, which has been further aggravated by the conflict in the Middle East,” said Patrick-Ludwig Hantch, head of the economic research department at Creditreform. The anticipated economic recovery has yet to materialize due to the prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Creditreform warns that the peak of bankruptcies has not yet been reached. “This trend will only stabilize when the economy finally begins to grow. Given the current circumstances, that is unlikely to happen before 2027,” Hantch noted.
Losses and Affected Jobs
Creditors in insolvency cases, including suppliers, lenders, and social insurance institutions, have incurred “extremely high losses.” The total losses from corporate bankruptcies in the first half of the year amounted to approximately 28.5 billion euros, according to Creditreform. About 165,000 jobs were affected.
Creditreform reported a significant increase in bankruptcies of 28.6% among companies with more than 250 employees. Among those affected are the hotel operator Revo-Hospitality-Gruppe, the building materials chain Hellweg, and the toy retailer Rofu Kinderland.
Bankruptcies of Young Companies and Households
A notably higher number of bankruptcies was also recorded among young companies: 1,140 founders ceased operations within two years of entering the market, reflecting a 25.3% increase compared to the first half of 2025. “The challenging environment does not allow for miscalculations,” Hantch stated.
An increasing number of private households, which have recently faced significant rises in consumer prices, are also experiencing financial distress. In the first half of 2026, Creditreform recorded 38,800 consumer bankruptcies, a 2.3% increase compared to the same period last year. However, this rise was smaller than in the previous two years and did not reach the levels seen in earlier years.
“Although the rising cost of living and inflation are straining many consumers, the German labor market remains largely stable, even as high-paying jobs are increasingly being cut, particularly in the manufacturing sector,” the credit agency analyzed.
Official data support this trend. According to the Federal Statistical Office, district courts reported 6,275 corporate insolvency filings in the first quarter, a 6.5% increase compared to the previous year. These figures align with those reported by Creditreform. Official data indicate that 24,064 companies went bankrupt in Germany in 2025, the highest number since 2014. The number of corporate bankruptcies had already risen significantly in 2023 and 2024 following the end of state aid provided during the coronavirus pandemic, which had helped many businesses survive.
Source: Der Spiegel