In 1917, the German Empire proposed a World War I alliance with Mexico against the United States in the Zimmermann Telegram before it was foiled by British intelligence agents.

Mexico established relations with both halves of partitioned Germany in 1952 and maintained the relationship through the German reunification in 1990.

German clergy and technical mining personnel arrived in colonial Mexico in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

The Germans would also promise Mexico they would send them arms and money if President Huerta would have a war with the United States and would be returned to power.

The decision for war was made by Mexican President Manuel Ávila Camacho after German U-boats had destroyed two Mexican oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico; the SS Potrero del Llano and SS Faja de Oro, both of which were carrying crude oil to the United States.

In June 2017, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, made an official visit to Mexico, and met with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

Both leaders reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship, which is based on shared values such as democracy and the promotion of free trade.

Both nations all focused on the joint collaboration in the defense of multilateralism, cooperation for sustainable development, attention to the migration phenomenon and the fight against climate change, among other issues.

During the visit, Steinmeier urged the Mexican government to stand with Europe in opposing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Mexico's main exports to Germany include: automobiles and automotive parts, as well as products from the electronics industry.

Several German multinational companies invest and operate in Mexico such as Audi, Bayer, BMW, Deutsche Bank, Mercedes-Benz, Siemens and Volkswagen (among others).