What they claim to do is basically what everybody is already doing. SSL between email servers can be considered standard, as well as SSL or at least StartTLS between client and server.
De-Mail is another thing which was introduced some years ago now. In short: Messages are encrypted on the client side, then decrypted on the server, then again encrypted and sent to the recipient where it is decrypted again...Imagine your post-office opening you mail before forwarding it to the recipient.
Along with some other things no sane person would ever suggest to do with email, De-Mail is a complete farce...
TL;DR: I'm from Germany, and my opinion is that this is the most brutal kind of PR bullshit you can get...
Still better than having all your data traffic piped to the NSA. Don't forget that this pipe is behind the SSL-Wall of Google. Being from Germany too, I'm seriously considering to move my mail account from GMail to Web.de. Already started moving my private Docs away from Google.
I like Google services and even before Snowden I was aware of the fact that international communication is watched by Secret agency. But really, why do they keep track of everything?
De-Mail is another thing which was introduced some years ago now. In short: Messages are encrypted on the client side, then decrypted on the server, then again encrypted and sent to the recipient where it is decrypted again...Imagine your post-office opening you mail before forwarding it to the recipient. Along with some other things no sane person would ever suggest to do with email, De-Mail is a complete farce...
TL;DR: I'm from Germany, and my opinion is that this is the most brutal kind of PR bullshit you can get...