The escalating geopolitical tensions and the increasingly assertive stance of the US administration are prompting German states to critically re-evaluate their reliance on American IT infrastructure. Hamburg’s Interior Senator, Andy Grote (SPD), has issued a stark warning against becoming overly dependent on US-based technology providers, highlighting the potential risks associated with vendors closely tied to the current US government.
Grote’s concerns, voiced in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung”, specifically targeted companies like Palantir, noting their close entanglement with US political interests. He cautioned that utilizing such systems leaves governments susceptible to disruptions in support, potential data diversion and other strategic actions taken to advance US interests. “There’s no naivety regarding the lengths the US administration will go to in pursuit of its objectives” Grote stated. Hamburg, for now, remains without Palantir’s services.
The neighboring state of Schleswig-Holstein has launched a more radical initiative, embarking on a comprehensive overhaul of its state administration’s IT systems to prioritize open-source alternatives. Digitalization Minister Dirk Schrödter (CDU) frames this as a move towards “digital sovereignty” a strategy aimed at reducing vulnerability and asserting greater control over critical data infrastructure. The ambitious plan has already seen the migration of 44,000 employee mailboxes from Microsoft’s platform to Open Xchange. Furthermore, Microsoft Office has been uninstalled from 80% of state employee workstations, with a roadmap to progressively transition operating systems to Linux in the coming years. The state reportedly saved approximately €15 million last year by forgoing the purchase of 28,000 new Microsoft licenses.
However, the Schleswig-Holstein project has not been without its challenges. Initial implementation phases in the autumn were plagued by communication breakdowns, with emails failing to reach recipients or being misdirected. Courts are also reportedly struggling with increased workload due to inadequate IT solutions. Some internal staff have voiced concerns regarding the relative performance of open-source software, suggesting it lags behind offerings from major US tech corporations. Minister Schrödter, however, vehemently dismissed such critiques, asserting that the implemented open-source solutions are performing “excellently” and on par with commercial alternatives.
While acknowledging the boldness of Schleswig-Holstein’s approach, Hamburg’s Senator Grote characterized it as “courageous”. He echoed the sentiment that greater independence from US providers is vital, but indicated that Hamburg currently lacks concrete plans to mirror Schleswig-Holstein’s widespread open-source transition. Nevertheless, Grote stressed that geopolitical realities are rapidly evolving, concluding that “the conversation might be very different in a year’s time” hinting at a potential reconsideration of Hamburg’s reliance on US-based technology. The differing approaches highlight a growing debate within Germany about the balance between technological accessibility and national security and the long-term implications of dependence on foreign technology powers.