With the sovereign debt crisis enveloping some parts of the euro area the financial markets have intensified their focus on Germany. Political decisions and trends in Europe's largest economy have a major impact on the progress of European integration. Much will also depend on how well Germany can maintain its economic strength. Thus, not only ground-breaking decisions for the euro and the European Union but also resolute reforms for sustainable growth are needed. Correspondingly, we cover a broad spectrum of issues: DB Research offers near-term analyses and comments on Germany's economic, fiscal and European policies, political trends, and the cyclical and sectoral outlook for German business.