The first Großer Preis von Deutschland motorcycle races were held at Berlin's AVUS circuit. The race then moved to the newly built Nürburgring in its full 28 km configuration. After a gap in 1932 and a return to the AVUS in 1933, the event moved in 1934 to public roads near Hohenstein-Ernstthal in Saxony — the area that would later adopt the name Sachsenring in 1937.
When the FIM launched the World Championship in 1949, post-war restrictions initially prevented German circuits and riders from participating. West Germany's recovering motorcycle industry — including NSU and DKW — emerged strongly in the early 1950s, and West German circuits re-entered the championship. Because the Sachsenring was now located in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), West Germany required alternative venues. The Solitudering near Stuttgart, the Schottenring near Fulda and eventually the Hockenheimring in Baden-Württemberg were all used. From the 1960s, Hockenheim and the Nürburgring's Nordschleife alternated in hosting the West German round.
Separately, the GDR hosted its own World Championship round at the Sachsenring from 1961 to 1972, referred to as the East German Grand Prix. The two events coexisted on the calendar under different names — the West German GP and the East German GP — until political pressure ended the GDR event's championship status after 1972. West Germany's continued participation had occasional controversy: the 1974 race at the Nürburgring was boycotted by championship contenders over safety concerns, resulting in a win by amateur Edmund Czihak in the 500cc class — still the only premier-class victory by a German rider in the event's history.
In 1998 the German Motorcycle Grand Prix moved to the Sachsenring under new promoters, with the shortened purpose-built circuit replacing the previous unpopular arrangements at Hockenheim and the Nürburgring. The move transformed the event: the compact circuit with its distinctive left-heavy layout and tight chicanes became a sell-out attraction, regularly drawing enormous crowds. By 2025 the event recorded spectator attendance of 256,441, making it one of the largest sporting events in Germany.
The Sachsenring's layout places unusual demands on riders and machinery, with a preponderance of left-hand corners favouring certain riders' physical setups. The circuit sits in a natural bowl near Hohenstein-Ernstthal, allowing spectators panoramic views of the racing from hillside vantage points.
The race has carried a range of title sponsors through its modern history. Warsteiner held the title in 1996, replaced by ADAC in 1997, then Polini from 1998 to 1999 and Cinzano from 2000 to 2003. Veltins (2004), Alice (2005–2009) and Eni (2010–2014) followed. GoPro became title partner from 2015 to 2017, with Pramac in 2018 and HJC Helmets in 2019. Since 2021, Liqui Moly has been the title sponsor, with the race carrying the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland name and transitioning to the Liqui Moly Grand Prix of Germany from 2025. The 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event is contracted to remain at the Sachsenring until at least 2031.
The German Motorcycle Grand Prix's history reflects the broader political and industrial story of post-war Europe as much as it does motorcycle sport. The split between East and West German events, the rotation through multiple venues, and the eventual unification of the race at the Sachsenring mirrors the country's own reunification. Today the event is one of the anchor rounds of the MotoGP calendar, defined by its dense atmosphere, exceptional crowd numbers and the unique physical demands the Sachsenring circuit places on riders in the world's premier motorcycle racing series.