ABSTRACT
This chapter in the Routledge Handbook of Degrowth (2025) reconstructs key passages, precursors and historical roots of the German discourse around ‘Postwachstum’ and critiques of growth, focusing in particular on the period from the late 1960s. After sketching a historical overview of older roots and the more recent re-emerging of degrowth in Germany, a systematic classification is offered of the most relevant streams in the German-speaking degrowth and post-growth debates. The argument is that the German-speaking debate is characterised by a large heterogeneity of positions; the strong involvement of political groups and initiatives around the solidarity economy; an intense exchange with more traditional organisations, such as trade unions or political associations; and – most importantly – a strong focus on growth dependencies and macroeconomic policies for non-growing economies.
