Made in Germany | The Holy Cow -- Germanys Favorite Son Becomes the Problem Child

686 views · Published 3 January 2009 · 4:40 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: DW News · 2009 · Entertainment

Watch on YouTube

German car producers and suppliers have been gravely affected by the recent financial crisis. They have let their temporary employees go, and have introduced reduced working hours for full-time staff, at least in part. They’ve just emerged from their worst November in almost 20 years.

The number of first-time registered cars this past November fell by 18% as compared to the same month in 2007. Worse yet, Opel sales were down 36% for the month of November. According to the ZDK, an auto industry umbrella organization, two thirds of all German car dealerships are in the red. The ZDK expects a stampede of bankruptcies in the coming year among car dealers. Wolfgang Bernert accompanied Heidi Hetzer, Berlin’s best-known Opel seller, as she tries to come to terms with what has been the worst of the company’s 89 years.

More from this channel