Editing Deutsche Bahn (section)

== History ==
{{see also|History of rail transport in Germany}}

=== Background: the Deutsche Reichsbahn ===
{{main|Deutsche Reichsbahn}}
The [[rail transport in Germany|railway network in Germany]] dates back to 1835 when the first tracks were laid on a {{convert|6|km|abbr=on}} route between Nuremberg and {{lang|de|italic=no|Fürth}}. The [[Deutsche Reichsbahn]] operated from 1920<ref>{{cite web|date=16 February 2012|title=Verordnung zur Schaffung eines Unternehmens Deutsche Reichsbahn|url=http://www.fh-merseburg.de/~nosske/EpocheII/dg/e2d_2102.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216053523/http://www.fh-merseburg.de/~nosske/EpocheII/dg/e2d_2102.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 February 2012|access-date=7 May 2021}}</ref> through the [[Weimar Republic|Weimar]] and [[Nazi Germany|Nazi eras]] until 1949,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mierzejewski |first=Alfred C.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TERVAwAAQBAJ&q=1920+German+National+Railway+enterprise |title=The Most Valuable Asset of the Reich: A History of the German National Railway, Volume 1, 1920-1932 |date=30 March 2014 |publisher=UNC Press Books |isbn=978-1-4696-2020-6}}</ref> when it was split between East and West Germany into two successor entities, [[Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany)|Deutsche Reichsbahn]] and [[Deutsche Bundesbahn]], respectively.<ref>{{cite web |date=8 April 2006 |title=Vielfältige Informationen zu Eisenbahn, Verkehrsgeschichte und Technikgeschichte aus dem Zeitraum 1919 bis 1945. Epoche II |url= http://www.epoche2.de/|archive-url= 
https://web.archive.org/web/20060408092254/http://www.epoche2.de/ |archive-date=8 April 2006 |url-status=live |access-date=7 May 2021}}</ref> They remained separate throughout the Cold War era division of Germany, and joined after the 1989 fall of the [[Berlin Wall]], and [[German reunification]] in 1990.  On 1 January 1994 {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Deutsche Reichsbahn (East Germany)|Deutsche Reichsbahn]]}} and {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Deutsche Bundesbahn]]}} were merged to form one company, {{lang|de|italic=no|Deutsche Bahn}}, the successor organisation to the Reichsbahn.<ref>{{cite web |title=Neckties from the GDR's Deutsche Reichsbahn and the Deutsche Bahn AG, 1993/1994 |url=https://technikmuseum.berlin/en/exhibitions/object-of-the-month/detail/neckties-from-the-gdrs-deutsche-reichsbahn-and-the-deutsche-bahn-ag-19931994/ |access-date=7 May 2021 |website=technikmuseum.berlin |archive-date=9 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109083635/https://technikmuseum.berlin/en/exhibitions/object-of-the-month/detail/neckties-from-the-gdrs-deutsche-reichsbahn-and-the-deutsche-bahn-ag-19931994/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Im Dienst von Demokratie und Diktatur |publisher=DB Museum |url= https://www.dbmuseum.de/museum_de/ausstellungen_fahrzeuge/geschichte_der_eisenbahn/1920_1945-2599370 |access-date=7 May 2021 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210410114315/https://www.dbmuseum.de/museum_de/ausstellungen_fahrzeuge/geschichte_der_eisenbahn/1920_1945-2599370 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Paterson |first=Tony |title=German railway fears flood of lawsuits over Holocaust trains |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/german-railway-fears-flood-lawsuits-over-holocaust-trains-7609055.html |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210507105738/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/german-railway-fears-flood-lawsuits-over-holocaust-trains-7609055.html |archive-date=7 May 2021 |work=The Independent |location= London |date=2 April 2012 |quote=The German railway company Deutsche Bahn has engaged a New York law firm to fight off compensation claims that it might face under proposed legislation enabling Holocaust victims and their relatives to sue for damages in US courts. The state-owned network is the main successor to the Nazi-run Deutsche Reichsbahn which, along with other railways in German-occupied Europe, deported millions of Jews to death camps during the Second World War.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=30 July 2020 |title=Holocaust survivor launches legal claim against German railway |url= http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/30/holocaust-survivor-launches-legal-claim-against-german-railways |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200731015053/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/30/holocaust-survivor-launches-legal-claim-against-german-railways |archive-date=31 July 2020 
 |access-date=7 May 2021 |work=The Guardian |location= London |quote=The scale of the Holocaust was only possible due to the efficiency and scale of the German railways. In January 1943, the head of the SS, Heinrich Himmler, wrote to Albert Ganzenmüller, the secretary of state for transport and the deputy director of the Reichsbahn, pleading for more train stock. "If I have any hope of quickly dealing with matters, I must have more haulage trains. Help me to get more," he said. Ganzenmüller, an early member of the Nazi party, was the only member of the railway to go on trial. On his first day in court in 1973 he had a heart attack and was declared medically unfit. He died in 1996. After the war, the German Democratic Republic in East Germany took over the name of the Deutsche Reichsbahn for its railway system. Today's Deutsche Bahn was created in 1994 after German reunification and the East German railway's merger with the West German Deutsche Bundesbahn.}}</ref> At the same time, {{lang|de|italic=no|Deutsche Bahn}} adopted its current logo and ''DB'' abbreviation. Kurt Weidemann modernised the logo and typographer {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Erik Spiekermann]]}} designed a new corporate font known as ''DB Type''. When Deutsche Bahn was formed in January 1994, it became a joint stock-company, and was designed to operate the railways of both the former East and West Germany after unification in October 1990 as a single, uniform, and private company.<ref name="db1">{{cite web |title=The foundation of Deutsche Bahn AG |url=http://www.deutschebahn.com/site/bahn/en/db__group/corporate__group/history/topics/foundation/foundation.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081227104858/http://www.deutschebahn.com/site/bahn/en/db__group/corporate__group/history/topics/foundation/foundation.html|publisher=Deutsche Bahn AG |date=10 July 2008 |archive-date=27 December 2008 |access-date=15 December 2022}}</ref> There are three main periods of development in this unified German railway: its formation, its early years (1994–1999), and the period from 1999 to the present.

Originally, DBAG had its headquarters in {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Frankfurt am Main]]}} but moved to {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Potsdamer Platz]]}} in central Berlin in 1996, where it occupies a 26-storey office tower designed by {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Helmut Jahn]]}} at the eastern end of the [[Sony Center|Sony Centre]] and named {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Bahntower]]}}. As the lease was to expire in 2010, DB had announced plans to relocate to {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Berlin Hauptbahnhof]]}}, and in 2007 a proposal for a new headquarters by [[3XN|3XN Architects]] won an architectural competition which also included [[Foster and Partners|Foster + Partners]], {{lang|fr|[[Dominique Perrault]]}} and {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Auer+Weber+Assoziierte|Auer + Weber]]}}.<ref>{{cite news |date=21 December 2007 |url=http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=1766 |title=Competition win for 3XN |work=World Architecture News |access-date=30 October 2009}}</ref> However, these plans were put on hold due to the [[2008 financial crisis]], and the {{lang|de|italic=no|Bahntower}} lease was extended.<ref>{{cite web |url= 
http://www.ftd.de/unternehmen/handel_dienstleister/:Deutsche%20Bahn%20Pl%E4ne%20Umzug/346601.html |title=Deutsche Bahn verwirft Pläne für Umzug |website=www.ftd.de |access-date=27 January 2022 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130206115122/http://www.ftd.de/unternehmen/handel_dienstleister/:Deutsche%20Bahn%20Pl%E4ne%20Umzug/346601.html |archive-date=6 February 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Construction of the new headquarters building was started in 2017 under the title "[[:de:Cube Berlin|Cube Berlin]]" according to the designs by 3XN. Finished in February 2020, the Cube will house the legal offices of Deutsche Bahn, but not become the main headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jürgens |first=Isabell |date=19 February 2020|title="Cube Berlin" – Europas schlauestes Gebäude geht in Betrieb |url= https://www.morgenpost.de/bezirke/mitte/article228465217/Cube-Berlin-Europas-schlauestes-Gebaeude-geht-in-Betrieb.html|access-date=7 June 2020 |website=www.morgenpost.de |language=de-DE}}</ref>

=== 1999 to present ===
The second step of the {{lang|de|italic=no|Bahnreform}} (railway reform) was carried out in 1999. All rolling stock, track, personnel, and real assets were divided between the subsidiaries of DBAG: {{lang|de|italic=no|DB Reise & Touristik AG}} (long-distance passenger service, later renamed {{lang|de|italic=no|DB Station & Service AG}} (operating the stations)). This new organisational scheme was introduced not least to implement [[EU Directive 91/440|European Community directive 91/440/EEC]] that requires open access operations on railway lines by companies other than those that own the rail infrastructure.

In December 2007, DB reorganised again, bringing all passenger services into its {{lang|de|italic=no|[[DB Bahn]]}} arm, logistics under {{lang|de|italic=no|[[DB Schenker]]}} and infrastructure and operations under {{lang|de|italic=no|[[DB Netze]]}}.

The DB is owned by the Federal Republic. By the [[Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany|Constitution]], the Federal Republic is required to retain (directly or indirectly) a majority of the infrastructure (the present {{lang|de|italic=no|DB Netze}}) stocks.

In 2008, it was agreed to "float" a portion of the business, meaning an end to the 100% share the German Federal Republic had in it, with a plan that 25% of the overall share would be sold to the private sector.<ref>"Partial sale of DB agreed" ''[[Railway Gazette International]]'' May 2008 page 289</ref> However the onset of the [[2008 financial crisis]] saw this cancelled.<ref>"DB flotation on hold" ''Railway Gazette International'' November 2008 page 843</ref>

In 2014, the Jewish community of Thessaloniki demanded that the {{lang|de|italic=no|Deutsche Bahn}}, which is the successor of the {{lang|de|italic=no|[[Deutsche Reichsbahn]]}}, should reimburse the heirs of Greek Holocaust victims of Thessaloniki for train fares that they were forced to pay for their deportation from Thessaloniki to {{lang|de|italic=no|Auschwitz}} and Treblinka between March and August 1943.<ref>[http://faktencheckhellas.org/en/one-way-tickets-thessaloniki-auschwitz/ One way tickets Thessaloniki – Auschwitz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208195215/http://faktencheckhellas.org/en/one-way-tickets-thessaloniki-auschwitz/ |date=8 February 2017 }}, June 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.zug-der-erinnerung.eu/ Zug der Erinnerung/Thessaloniki Zug der Erinnerung (non-government organisation "Train of Commemoration")].</ref>

In June 2018 controversy grew in the [[United Kingdom]] over widespread cancellations of railway services and numerous delayed services operated by Deutsche Bahn in Britain, under its [[Arriva Rail North|Northern]] brand. This resulted in Britain's Minister of Transport, Chris Grayling, setting up an enquiry into whether the Deutsche Bahn subsidiary had breached its contractual agreement to provide railway services in the north of England.<ref>Gwyn Topham; Helen Pidd; Pippa Crerar (4 June 2018). "Northern and GTR could be barred from rail franchises". ''The Guardian''. London.</ref>

In 2024, Deutsche Bahn faced significant operational challenges during the [[Euro 2024]] football tournament, including frequent train delays, cancellations, and infrastructure issues.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Rory | last1=Smith |first2=Melissa | last2=Eddy |date=2024-06-23 |title=In Germany, a Tournament Runs Smoothly, but the Trains Do Not |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/23/world/europe/germany-trains-euro-2024.html |work=The New York Times|location= |access-date=2025-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jessica| last=Parker|date=2024-07-18 |title=How Euro 2024 busted legend of German efficiency |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckvgkgq9yeqo |work=BBC |access-date=2025-05-05}}</ref> The rail carrier reported a €1 billion half year net loss stemming from investments to repair its rail network, strikes and bad weather in July of the same year. As a result, Deutsche Bahn announced that they would shed 30,000 administrative jobs, roughly equal to 9% of their workforce.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-07-25 |title=Deutsche Bahn to cut 30,000 jobs after billion-euro first-half net loss |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/deutsche-bahn-lowers-2024-forecasts-after-billion-euro-net-loss-h1-2024-07-25/ |work=Reuters |location= |access-date=2024-09-03}}</ref>

In September 2024, the company came to an agreement with [[DSV (company)|DSV]] of Denmark, a logistics company; in the agreement, DSV will acquire [[Schenker AG|Schenker]] from Deutsche Bahn for $15.84 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chirls |first=Stuart |date=2024-09-13 |title=Schenker buy makes DSV a forwarder colossus |url=https://www.freightwaves.com/news/schenker-buy-makes-dsv-a-forwarder-colossus |access-date=2024-09-18 |website=FreightWaves |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobsen |first=Stine |last2=Gronholt-Pedersen |first2=Jacob |last3=More |first3=Rachel |date=18 September 2024 |title=DSV to create global logistics giant with $15.9 billion Schenker takeover |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/freight-forwarder-dsv-buys-deutsche-bahns-schenker-159-billion-2024-09-13/ |access-date=18 September 2024 |website=Reuters}}</ref>

=== Logo ===
<gallery widths="150" heights="150" class="center">
File:Deutsche Reichsbahn Gesellschaft logo.svg|1 April 1920 to 26 April 1945,<br /> operating as ''Deutsche Reichsbahn''
File:Deutsche Reichsbahn DDR.svg|30 August 1924 to 31 December 1993,<br /> operating as ''Deutsche Reichsbahn''.<br /><small>This mark was used in tandem with the previous logo until April 1945.</small>
File:Deutsche Bundesbahn.svg|10 October 1946 to 31 December 1993,<br /> operating as {{Lang|de|Deutsche Bundesbahn}}
File:Deutsche Bahn AG-Logo.svg|Current logo, in use since 1 January 1994,<br /> operating as ''Deutsche Bahn''
</gallery>