According to the Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung Halle (IWH), the number of business bankruptcies in Germany reached its highest level in over 20 years in the first quarter of 2026, which saw a total of 4,573 insolvencies involving partnerships and corporations. “This is the highest level since the third quarter of 2005, meaning that insolvency figures are now higher than they were during the major financial crisis of 2009,” the researchers explained.