If the posting is entirely in German and the company serves a local market, a German Lebenslauf is usually expected. It shows you can handle internal forms, works council language, and day-to-day email without friction.
International teams in Germany often accept English CVs — especially in engineering, research, and export-facing sales. Still, a short German profile paragraph or skills line can reassure HR that you are ready for onboarding paperwork.
Avoid submitting a machine-translated document. Awkward phrasing stands out more than a clean English CV with a note that you are happy to provide a German version. If you maintain both, keep dates, employers, and achievements aligned so recruiters do not spot contradictions.
For dual-language applications, match the language of the posting first, then offer the second version only if asked. Consistency beats volume.