Steinmeier in the Ahr Valley: This Day Is a “Call to Action for All of Us”

Grief, pain, but also hope: Five years after the devastating floods in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, people in numerous locations commemorated the victims of the disaster. In the Ahr Valley, which was particularly hard hit at the time, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: “This day is also a call to all of us to do everything in our power to ensure that flood disasters with consequences like those we experienced here do not happen again, if at all possible.”

“An anniversary like this is not an easy day,” Steinmeier said at the opening of the photo exhibition “We Ahr Strong. Five Years, A New Perspective” in Altenahr in the district of Ahrweiler. “You want to look ahead, but at the same time, you still feel the pain.” Steinmeier laid a wreath in the chapel at the cemetery in Ahrweiler.

"I've been given a second chance at life"

The exhibition features portraits of people from the region and, among other things, tells the story of what helped them get through difficult times, what they are proud of, and what their visions for the future are. The Federal President spoke with some of the people portrayed and listened to their stories.

One of them is 89-year-old Eberhard from Ahrweiler. “Everything I loved was lost in that one terrible night,” he said. His wife was swept from his arms by a flood wave. Now, however, he looks to the future with hope. “I’ve been given a second chance at life, five years after that flood.”

Laura was 13 years old when the flood caught her by surprise that night. “It was ‘really bad,’” she said. It wasn’t until the early morning hours, when the water receded, that she was able to close her eyes for a moment, she explained. Then, the next day, it was time to help, pitch in, and lend a hand.

“Five years later, the pain and suffering have not been forgotten,” Steinmeier said during what he described as his fifth visit to the valley. “But when we are here, we are not only commemorating the site of a disaster, but also a place that has experienced an impressive degree of solidarity.”

Rhineland-Palatinate Minister-President Gordon Schnieder (CDU) emphasized that behind every casualty figure lies the fate of a person and a family. He said that commemoration and remembrance are important for giving the pain a place to be felt.

"What we've been through has changed us"

Cornelia Weigand, the independent district administrator of the Ahrweiler district, also experienced the flood. At the time, she was still mayor of the Altenahr municipal association. The exhibition shows that the flood left behind more than just destruction, she said. And yet: “Some losses are irreplaceable.”

“No matter how much protection we build here and how much space we give the Ahr upstream, it won’t be enough to adequately protect the investments and the efforts of the people (...) from another once-in-a-century flood,” said Weigand. She is asking the federal government to make reconstruction aid funds available for flood retention basins. For Steinmeier, this debate must be held locally and at the state level.

The flood claimed more than 180 lives

The flooding that occurred on the night of July 14–15, 2021, in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia was one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent German history. After days of heavy rain, the Ahr River in particular turned into a devastating flash flood as it flowed through its narrow valley.

At least 136 people lost their lives in Rhineland-Palatinate, and 49 in North Rhine-Westphalia. Several hundred were injured. One person from the Ahr region is still missing. Many survivors are still struggling with the psychological aftermath.

The flood swept away cars, houses, and lives, and largely destroyed the infrastructure. Five years later, reconstruction is still not complete. Numerous projects are still underway for bridges, schools, hospitals, and municipal infrastructure. Trains have been running regularly on all routes again for several months.

Better Prepared for Disaster Response

The deadly flood has spurred reforms in disaster management, including a siren funding program and the introduction of cell broadcast as a warning system. This allows warning messages to be sent directly to all cell phones connected to the network in a specific area at any given time. As a result, Rhineland-Palatinate established, among other things, a new State Office for Fire and Disaster Protection.

For former Minister-President Alexander Schweitzer (SPD)—who was Minister of Labor and Social Affairs at the time of the flood and now chairs the SPD state parliamentary caucus—it’s not just about rebuilding houses, streets, and bridges. It’s also about giving the valley a secure and livable future. “Anyone visiting the Ahr Valley today can see the many positive changes. They are encouraging.”