The videos from the flood night in the Ahr valley continue to cause heated discussions in the Mainz state parliament. While Interior Minister Roger Lewentz (SPD) continues to stubbornly insist on his view of things, CDU faction leader Christian Baldauf is demanding his resignation.
It should be a liberation. In dire straits, the Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of the Interior, Roger Lewentz (SPD), sought to flee to the front. For months, the top civil protection officer has been criticized for his miserable crisis management during the flood night on the Ahr from July 14th to 15th, 2021.
Lewentz, however, always defended himself against the increasing allegations by pointing out that there was no reliable picture of the situation up to the morning of July 15. As a result, the state government could not take over the command of operations in the affected districts.
In the end, more than 130 people died, but the top government around Lewentz and Prime Minister Malu Dreyer (SPD) tried to hide behind excuses and that very line of defense so that one could not know what happened on the flood front that night.
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About 14 months later, this version is increasingly collapsing. Explosive videos from police helicopters from 10:15 p.m. to 10:42 p.m. on July 14, 2021 destroy the well-tempered image of innocence through ignorance. Ten days ago, the recordings appeared in the parliamentary flood investigation committee in the Mainz state parliament. The clips showed disturbing scenes of people on rooftops desperately shining flashlights at the helicopters. Meanwhile, enormous masses of water rushed down the Ahr.
Initially, the parliamentary majority of the SPD, Greens and FDP had blocked the spicy videos from the public after being informed by the state government. Only the members of the committee were allowed to see the moving images. The reason given by those responsible was the protection of the privacy of the flood victims pictured. Then yesterday, Tuesday, the Ministry of the Interior invited a select group of journalists to view the videos.
The faces of the people affected on the evening of the flood were pixelated. The oppressive scenes played out again. The pictures clearly showed the seriousness of the situation on the Ahr. Questions arose again as to why the state government did not act?
Interior Minister Lewentz, on the other hand, stubbornly stuck to his point of view. It is indeed “a video that shows an incredible flood, but no flood disaster and no tsunami”. Neither collapsed houses, dead people or clogged bridges can be seen, “maybe a caravan and a few gas tanks”. Isn’t that all?
In fact, the videos did not reach Lewentz at the time, only a few photos from the helicopter. He was also given an alarming report from a police squadron pilot. However, this report did not prompt the SPD politician to follow up further. Rather, he left the rescue work to the local fire brigades and helpers, who were completely overwhelmed by it. A nationwide warning of the residents of the lower Ahr was also missing. Most of the residents died there during the night of the flood.
However, the interior minister is not aware of any guilt. Lewentz explained to the assembled journalists on Tuesday: If he had seen the videos during the night and not just the photos, “probably nothing would have changed”.
Christian Baldauf, CDU parliamentary group leader in Mainz, accuses the interior minister of misunderstanding his office. “His words are cynical and a slap in the face to all those who lost relatives in the disaster.” Anyone who does not see such videos as a call to action is out of place.
“Lewentz has lost all trust,” sums up the CDU politician, who calls on Prime Minister Dreyer to finally take action if her party friend does not resign herself.
