Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- After extreme heat over the weekend, temperatures in Germany have plunged
- At least 15 people are reported to have died in swimming accidents since Friday
- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is travelling to North and South America, with a meeting planned with his US counterpart
This is a roundup of the top news stories from and about Germany on Monday, June 29, 2026:
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Skip next section Wadephul heads to US for talks with Rubio06/29/2026June 29, 2026
Wadephul heads to US for talks with Rubio
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday at the start of a trip to North and South America.
The meeting with Rubio is expected to focus on burden-sharing within the NATO alliance as Washington increasingly voices dissatisfaction with the current system.
Their talks come ahead of a planned NATO summit in Ankara in July.
Before his departure, Wadephul emphasized the need for unity in the Western military alliance, saying, “Our Euro-Atlantic security depends decisively upon whether we in NATO stand together in the future as resolutely as we have done up to now.”
Also on the agenda will likely be the renewed escalation of tensions between the United States and Iran, with both sides accusing the other of violating a ceasefire even after the signing of a framework agreement aimed at consolidating the truce.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wadephul’s talks with Rubio would also cover the issue further support for Ukraine as it fights against a yearslong Russian invasion.
Following the meeting with Rubio, Wadephul plans to travel on Monday afternoon to the Paraguayan capital, Asuncion, for a Mercosur summit on Tuesday.
The European Union and the Mercosur states of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay formed a huge new free trade zone in May.
Under the agreement, trade barriers and tariffs are to be gradually reduced to facilitate the exchange of goods and services.
Talks are also planned in Argentina and Brazil.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5GE5LSkip next section At least 15 dead in swimming accidents since Friday — police06/29/2026June 29, 2026
At least 15 dead in swimming accidents since Friday — police
Swimming accidents have caused the deaths of at least 15 people across Germany since Friday as extreme heat sent many people to seek relief in lakes, rivers and outdoor pools, police reports say.
In one of the latest cases, a 17-year-old was retrieved dead from a quarry lake in Peine in the northern state of Lower Saxony on Sunday.
Several deaths were reported in the capital, Berlin, and there were also fatalities in a number of other western states.
Many of the deaths occurred in unsupervised bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes left by mining activities, which are particularly treacherous for swimmers.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5GDuuSkip next section Temperatures go down in Germany after massive heat wave06/29/2026June 29, 2026
Temperatures go down in Germany after massive heat wave
Germany is to see normal summer temperatures once more on Monday, with highs of between 25-29 degrees Celsius (77-84.2 F) expected across most of the country, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).
The drop comes after days of extreme heat, with a record temperature of 41.7 C hit on Sunday in the eastern state of Brandenburg, according to preliminary data.
That was the third temperature record for Germany in three days, with 41.3 C measured in the western city of Saarbrücken on Friday and 41.4 C in the same location on Saturday followed by 41.5 C in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, all according to preliminary readings.
A DWD spokeswoman said June 2026 would now likely be among the “Top 3” Junes since measurements began.
The end of the heat wave in Germany was accompanied by major storms in many locations.
It has now moved on to eastern Europe and the Balkans.
Germany has already warmed by 2.5 degrees C (4.5 degrees F) in comparison with the pre-industrial era — more than the global average.
Europe as a whole is also warming faster than any other continent, according to the World Health Organizaton.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5GDtDSkip next section Welcome to our coverage06/29/2026June 29, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Timothy Jones | Roshni Majumdar Editor
The DW newsroom says guten Tag and a big “Phew!” to all our users as the temperatures go down at last at the start of the week.
The fallout from the heat wave, which saw temperatures in Germany reach record highs on three consecutive days, will be a major topic in today’s blog.
But the similarly heated global political climate will also be in focus, with Germany’s foreign minister headed to Washington for talks touching on the US’ ever more strained relations with Europe and NATO.
You can follow here to find out more about what is happening in Europe’s biggest economy on Monday, June 29.
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