Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann wants to help companies in the crisis with a temporary change in insolvency law.
The forecast period as part of the so-called over-indebtedness check should be reduced from twelve to four months, said the FDP politician on Friday in Berlin.
This would give companies time to adapt their business models.
Companies that are actually healthy, have an established business model and good prospects, but are currently suffering from exploding energy costs, should benefit from the change in the law.
Temporary easing of the obligation to file for insolvency due to over-indebtedness is planned.
Companies are to be exempted from the obligation to apply if their continued existence over a period of four months is sufficiently probable - instead of the usual twelve months.
"Who can look twelve months into the future in these uncertain times?" said Buschmann.
For a baker, for example, it is an "enormous relief that he no longer has to be able to calculate that he can safely continue the business for twelve months".
That takes away his concern that he will have to file for bankruptcy too soon rather than too late, out of concern for the public prosecutor.
"Anyone who files for insolvency too late commits delaying insolvency and that is now even threatened with imprisonment," said Buschmann.
"That's why a lot of people are worried."
Due to the sharp rise in energy and raw material costs, there could be a wave of insolvencies in Germany.
Buschmann's advance is intended to counteract this.
"We will now talk to the parliaments and the chancellor's office about what the quickest procedure is, whether you make your own legislative procedure or attach it to another," said the politician.
Basically, it has to happen as soon as possible.