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What you need to know
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Germany posts 0.2% quarterly growth as exports strengthen
- Deutsche Bahn has reportedly returned to profit in its core business
- The company made a profit in the hundreds of millions of euros in the first half of 2026
Here is a roundup of some of the top headlines to come out of Germany on Thursday, July 30:
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Skip next section German economy grows by 0.2% in second quarter07/30/2026July 30, 2026
German economy grows by 0.2% in second quarter
Germany’s economy expanded by 0.2% in the second quarter, beating expectations for a 0.1% rise.
Preliminary figures from the federal statistics office show growth was driven mainly by stronger exports than in the previous three months.
The latest reading follows an upward revision to first-quarter growth, which is now estimated at 0.4%, up from 0.3%.
Despite the overall increase, household spending remained subdued during the quarter.
Business investment also declined from the first quarter.
The data suggest Germany’s economy continued to grow through the first half of the year, supported by overseas demand despite weakness in domestic activity.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HzWuSkip next section Deutsche Bahn reportedly returns to profit in core business07/30/2026July 30, 2026
Deutsche Bahn reportedly returns to profit in core business
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn has reportedly returned to profit in its core business for the first time in seven years, marking a sharp turnaround for the crisis-hit rail operator.
The state-owned company recorded a profit in the hundreds of millions of euros between January and June, the Bild newspaper and Der Spiegel news magazine reported Wednesday night.
Deutsche Bahn had posted losses of around €760 million ($870 million) in the first half of 2025.
The reports said the railway carried around 960 million passengers during the first six months of 2026, a record, and 17 million more than in the same period last year. The company was initially unavailable for comment.
Deutsche Bahn reportedly attributed much of the rise in passenger numbers to rising fuel prices. Commuters in particular switched from cars to regional trains as petrol became more expensive while rail fares remained stable.
Demand for long-distance services has also risen significantly since April.
Discount offers are also likely to have contributed to the growth. Around 600,000 people used the last-minute ticket, while 200,000 traveled with the family ticket.
Deutsche Bahn CEO Evelyn Palla is due to present the company’s first-half results on Thursday.
The operator has recently faced criticism over poor punctuality, deteriorating infrastructure, and heavy financial losses. It recorded a net loss of more than EUR1 billion in 2025.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HzFSSkip next section Germany’s top court weighs private WhatsApp dispute07/30/2026July 30, 2026
Germany’s top court weighs private WhatsApp dispute
Germany’s highest civil court is considering whether forwarding private WhatsApp messages without permission can violate European data protection law.
The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) began hearing the case in Karlsruhe after two former friends became embroiled in a dispute over private WhatsApp messages concerning one woman’s employer.
The messages were sent about three years ago. After the friendship broke down, one woman forwarded them to the partner of the other’s boss.
The employee was subsequently dismissed and is now seeking €7,500 ($8,582) in damages from her former friend.
The BGH is considering whether the disclosure breached the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, and whether it infringed the claimant’s personal rights.
The Frankfurt Regional Court initially awarded damages to the claimant, finding that forwarding the messages amounted to unlawful processing of personal data.
It ruled that the GDPR’s “household exemption,” which excludes activities that are exclusively personal or family-related, did not apply.
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HzFoSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/30/2026July 30, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Richard Connor | Louis Oelofse Editor
Guten Tag from the DW newsroom in Bonn.
You join us as Germany’s national rail operator Deutsche Bahn has reportedly returned to profit in its core business for the first time in seven years.
The beleaguered business suspects that rising fuel costs are behind the increase, with more commuters making the switch from cars to regional trains.
Meanwhile, Germany’s highest civil court is considering whether forwarding a friend’s private WhatsApp messages without permission can violate EU data protection law.
Stay with us here for these stories and more of the things that Germany is talking about today.
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