The East German Economic Forum 2026 took place in Bad Saarow from 31 May to 2 June.

As Germany’s premier platform for shaping the future of Eastern Germany, each year the conference convenes leading figures from politics, business, academia and civil society to debate economic strategy, innovation and regional transformation.

With its distinctive mix of substance, access and atmosphere, the Forum once again proved to be a key meeting point for those who want to actively shape the new order and turn uncertainty into progress.

Conference Venue

Since its foundation in 2015, the annual conferences of the East German Economic Forum (OWF) have been held in Bad Saarow – and for good reason. The spa town on Lake Scharmützel offers the perfect blend of idyllic surroundings, first-class infrastructure and an atmosphere that creates space for inspiring discussions.

Bad Saarow is only an hour’s drive from Berlin and has excellent public transport connections. This makes it easy for participants from eastern Germany as well as other regions of Germany and abroad to get there. The modern conference infrastructure makes the location ideal for a conference such as the OWF.

The Hotel Esplanade is the conference hotel and exclusive location partner. With its large courtyard, it will be the central meeting point for participants during the three days of the conference.In addition to the workshop rooms for interactive conference formats and working breakfasts, there are also partner lounges and restaurants for exclusive side events.

The Theater am See is just a few minutes‘ walk from the Esplanade conference hotel. It offers space for the OWF main programme on a large stage. With its beautiful lakeside terrace directly on Lake Scharmützel, it is also the perfect place for networking and informal discussions during programme breaks, as well as an ideal interview setting for journalists.

Surrounded by green forests and expansive countryside, Lake Scharmützel creates a secluded atmosphere that promotes creativity and focused discussion. Here, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and day-to-day business, OWF participants can discover new perspectives and develop ideas in a unique setting.

Since 2015, the East German Economic Forum (OWF) has been the most important platform for all topics related to East Germany as a business location. Its aim is to bring together committed players from politics, business, science and society to jointly identify the opportunities and challenges of the business location, promote groundbreaking ideas and shape the transformation processes that characterise the location.

The OWF’s annual economic conference takes place in Bad Saarow, Brandenburg.