Germany film Industry was, since the early days, a powerful source of creativity and technological advances. Prior to WWII German films possessed a visual uniqueness that was a huge influenced on other countries. Cinematographers and art directors developed lots tricks to achieve fantastic effects required for German directors. Many of those artists and technicians moved from Germany to other countries due to the War.
Glass shots and miniatures were in use at German films from the silent era, but importunely I haven’t found any information about German matte painters. At that time matte and miniature artists were uncredited, and only head of department used to get credit on the films, usually trick cinematographers like Eugene Shufftan.
German Films with traditional VFX work, mattes and miniatures:
Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924)
Metropolis (1927)
Munchausen (1943)