The then Federal Minister of Economics, Peter Altmaier, CDU, could hardly have made the matter more urgent. If Elon Musk decides to leave and the Tesla factory doesn’t come to Brandenburg, then “it would be a loss for all of Germany,” he said in an interview with the “Tagesspiegel”. That was in December 2019. Altmaier also gave his ministry officials a hint: “If we as a ministry are asked for help, we will be happy to help.” With this, Altmaier set the tone for his house and other ministries.

Documents available to the information platform “Ask the State” and stern show how seriously his staff at the Federal Ministry of Economics took Altmaier’s instructions. The media partners have requested all correspondence from various ministries in Berlin and Potsdam with and about Tesla since 2019. And get them using the Freedom of Information Act.

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