The MV Werften Group in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania filed for bankruptcy on Monday.
The Schwerin District Court confirmed receipt of the application.
The company had previously announced that it would take this step on Monday.
A spokesman told the German Press Agency that the employees were informed on Monday.
MV Werften thus drew the consequences of the ongoing financial crisis, which has put the company in trouble since the beginning of the corona pandemic.
First of all, the NDR reported.
The more than 1900 employees of the company had to wait for their wages and salaries from December.
These had not yet been paid out by Friday.
The now announced filing of bankruptcy was preceded by unsuccessful negotiations between the federal and state governments with the owner Genting Hong Kong to rescue the ailing MV shipyards.
Those involved blamed each other for the halting discussions.
According to reports, the federal government was ready for a rescue package and further aid, but has so far not wanted to abandon its demand for the owner to make a contribution.
The owners recently said that there was no clear commitment to their shipyard.
He had previously refused by paying his own contribution of 60 million euros, referring to his own problems.
Genting had already fueled speculation about a possible impending bankruptcy by suspending stock trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Friday.
Genting Hong Kong acquired the shipyards in Rostock, Wismar and Stralsund in 2016 as a reaction to the then booming cruise market in order to have ships built there for the Group's own shipping companies.
But with the collapse of the industry as a result of the Corona crisis, the parent company got into difficulties that continue to this day.