The Israeli defense company Elbit Systems is stopping its plans to build a production site in Sangerhausen. Last but not least, the “Keep Elbit Out” initiative played a role. They organized resistance against the settlement for over six months.

In mid-May, the first media reported on the planned establishment of an arms company in Sangerhausen. A 130-hectare field on the outskirts of the city was to be converted into a large industrial area and developed into a production site for a dubious arms supplier that was not officially confirmed at the time.

According to initial reports, the matter was brought quickly through the city council in a closed session. The latter voted with a large majority in favor of selling the area, but continued to refuse to name the interested company. It was already widely known in media circles and among the population that it was the Israeli arms company Elbit Systems. However, publishing this information would have led to immediate resistance from the population.

Elbit Systems – weapons made by Israel

Elbit Systems is the largest Israeli weapons manufacturer and is therefore closely linked to the genocide of the Palestinian people and the Israeli military (IDF). The parent company and its subsidiaries recorded one in 2025Total salesof almost eight billion US dollars and an order backlog of almost 30 billion US dollars.

In addition to production in Israel, Elbit Systems operatesSubsidiariesin many European countries. There are over 16 locations in the United Kingdom alone, as well as in Sweden, Switzerland, Romania and many other countries. In Germany, the subsidiary Elbit Systems Deutschland operates four locations in Ulm, Berlin, Koblenz and a secret location in northern Germany that works closely with the German Navy.

Elbit Systems closes plant after Palestine solidarity actions

In addition to orders from armies around the world, Elbit Systems' weapons systems have been proven to be used in the genocide in Gaza and the Israeli wars of aggression in Lebanon and Iran. In addition to ammunition, Elbit Systems also produces drones, vehicles, military equipment, and artillery and missile systems. As the main supplier to the Israeli army, the company made billions of dollars from the genocide in Gaza and the subsequent wars in West Asia. Weapon systems could also be tested in practice and further developed.

Keep Elbit Out – Sangerhausen defends itself

While the city council in Sangerhausen, especially Mayor Thorsten Schweiger (CDU), wanted to quietly and secretly bring about the establishment of the Israeli arms company, there was resistance among the population of Sangerhausen.

The protest alliance “Keep Elbit Out” was founded on July 11th. In addition to political organizations, the alliance was also made up of individuals whose common goal was to prevent Elbit Systems from setting up shop.

“Keep Elbit out”: Protest against the planned weapons factory in Sangerhausen

In a first open letter they addressed the Sangerhäuser:innen and sharply criticized Mayor Thorsten Schweiger. The Elbit Systems company and its involvement in the genocide against the Palestinians were also denounced.

Over the next few months, the alliance will continuously organize work in and around Sangerhausen, while also establishing contacts in the surrounding area. At a demonstration at the end of August, around 600 people protested against the arms manufacturer's settlement.

Elbit cancels, “We won”

Most recently, the protest alliance collected signatures to launch a citizens' initiative. The goal of collecting 2,000 signatures was almost achieved when the surprising news was published on Thursday: Elbit Systems is canceling its settlement in Sangerhausen.

The company did not publish exact reasons, but pointed out various factors when choosing a location. The size of the area, quick building permits, the availability of qualified workers and transport connections are crucial for the selection. A settlement in East Germany is still on the cards.

The protest alliance celebrated a success on Thursday. In a post entitled "We won", it referred to their work and classified both this and the achieved goal - preventing the Elbit settlement in Sangerhausen - as a victory against the Israeli arms manufacturer.

Elbit continues to search, the arms market is booming

While a partial success of the antimilitarist movement is celebrated in Sangerhausen, the arms industry continues to grow. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, more and more German companies have been involved there, or foreign companies have settled in Germany and Europe.

In Germany, the defense industry has annual sales of around 30 billion euros, compared to around 12 billion euros five years ago. Last but not least, Germany as a production location has become the target of many weapons producers because, as a NATO hub, it plays a central role in building up NATO's eastern flank.

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German companies are also increasingly trying to catch up with their international competitors. Just this week, Helsing presented the first military AI “Made in Germany”. In addition to Sangerhausen, there are many other settlement projects nationwide. Rheinmetall, the largest German arms company, opened a production site in Berlin-Wedding. Following Covenant's establishment in Leipzig is now the armaments start-up Falk Defense, which produces rocket artillery systems and has announced that it is looking for a location in or around Leipzig. However, citizens in Wedding and Leipzig have also been organizing against weapons production for months.

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