youWhen the flood victims of the Aar Valley stood in front of the ruins where they lived, were they vacationing in France? That doesn’t feel right. So I set off for Grafschaft, an unremarkable industrial park on the A 61. It has become the headquarters of volunteers in the floodplain surrounding Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. Buses to the affected communities depart from here every day. Helfer-Shuttle Ahrtal has its own website. Flood victims can request volunteers there, and they will receive the most important information there. They said: “No need to notify in advance-just stop by.” “Please bring rubber boots and gloves.” Masks are also very important, as they can resist corona and dust.
When I arrived at about ten o’clock, the empty space in the industrial zone had almost stopped. There are mobile homes and cars with roof tents. Some people may be preparing for a long-term stay. Many are from the region, as you can tell from the license plate, others are from Stuttgart, Nuremberg or Ecknfeld.The helicopter rattled overhead Armed forces.
There has been a long queue at the bus station. I was quickly recognized as a newcomer because I didn’t have rubber boots and thought hiking boots would be enough. Bärbel, a 53-year-old nurse and replacement practitioner, said I can forget this right away. The mud in the cellar was knee deep, if not higher. Bärbel decided to bring me into her team of helpers without my consent: “We will adopt you.”
We now have six people working together. Barbel’s son Ben is also there, along with painter and varnisher Gisela, student teacher Mona, and Birgit who teaches in elementary school. Bärbel found a specific address in the Whatsapp group. We should help Ahrweiler clean up the entire basement of the apartment building. Fortunately, there are rubber boots in the servant’s room. I grabbed a pair and our bus started.
It was very hot and we stood so close on the articulated bus that we were sweating even before work started. Nonetheless, everyone wears a mask. The police blocked the entrance to this place, but our shuttle bus can pass. As we passed through the destroyed part of the town, the bus became quiet. “If you have been here, you must come back,” Bärbel said. “Because then you will never find peace anymore, because you know these people need all help now.”
Piled up like a monument
On the only passable bridge, the driver gave us some tips. At 6:30 in the evening, we will pick us up at the gas station on the other side of the river. Anyone who is injured should contact the medical service because there have been several blood poisonings.
We crossed the bridge one way, the railing of the bridge is flood It has been torn off. I have seen many photos of the crisis area, but until now I do not understand the extent of the damage. Schools, daycare centers, gas stations, workshops—everything is submerged. It can be clearly seen from the walls of the house that Ahr has been standing on the upper edge of the first floor. The wrecked cars were stacked on the grass. It is like a monument.
