Conversely, according to Trier, Great Britain was also relegated to the list of the most important countries importing into Germany. In East Germany, especially Saxony developed strong trade relations with the British. Finance Minister Martin Dulig last week wanted to go to London with entrepreneurs to renew contacts. But the date was postponed due to contagion.

A fundamental question arises: can politics make Brexit more tolerable? Oliver Holtemoller, vice president of the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research in Halle, said he currently has tons of paper to fill out and provide evidence. “A lot can be changed through negotiations. Then you need to conclude appropriate international agreements.” Germany could not negotiate such a thing with Great Britain, which is the responsibility of the European Union.

But before the EU can break the customs bureaucracy, it must first reach an agreement with Great Britain on the issue of Northern Ireland. The two sides are still at loggerheads over how far the northern Irish border can be crossed. It is even conceivable that the UK will terminate youth trade agreements with the European Union due to the dispute.

At the same time, entrepreneurs look confused. Or as trailer dealer Tobias Ahrens does – they stay as good as they can.