Die Sturmflut von 1962
The storm flood of 1962 · 1962 का तूफ़ानी सैलाब
One February night, the North Sea pushes into the Elbe and the dikes break. While Hamburg sleeps, the water rises, and one man decides not to wait for permission.
Timeline
| 16 Feb 1962 | A heavy storm pushes North Sea water up the Elbe |
|---|---|
| Night of 16–17 Feb | Dikes break in more than 60 places; a sixth of Hamburg is under water |
| 17 Feb 1962 | Helmut Schmidt calls in German soldiers and NATO helicopters |
| Feb 1962 | 315 people have died in Hamburg |
| 1962 onwards | Hamburg builds higher dikes and better storm warnings |
| Jan 1976 | An even higher storm flood: this time Hamburg's dikes hold |
| 1974–1982 | Helmut Schmidt is Chancellor of Germany |
Kapitel 1: Die Nacht der Flut
Hamburg liegt nicht direkt am Meer, sondern an der Elbe.Hamburg is not right on the sea, but on the river Elbe.
Trotzdem kommt das Wasser der Nordsee über den Fluss bis in die Stadt.Even so, North Sea water comes up the river into the city.
Bei Sturm kann die Elbe deshalb gefährlich hoch steigen.So in a storm, the Elbe can rise dangerously high.
Am 16. Februar 1962 kam ein schwerer Sturm aus dem Nordwesten.On 16 February 1962, a heavy storm came from the north-west.
Er drückte das Wasser der Nordsee immer weiter in die Elbe.It pushed the water of the North Sea further and further into the Elbe.
Die meisten Menschen in Hamburg schliefen schon.Most people in Hamburg were already asleep.
In der Nacht brachen die Deiche an mehr als 60 Stellen.During the night, the dikes broke in more than 60 places.
Das Wasser lief in viele Stadtteile, vor allem nach Wilhelmsburg.The water flowed into many parts of the city, above all into Wilhelmsburg.
Viele Menschen wohnten dort in kleinen Häusern und Gartenhäusern.Many people there lived in small houses and garden huts.
Sie wachten erst auf, als das Wasser schon im Haus stand.They only woke up when the water was already inside the house.
Manche retteten sich auf das Dach.Some saved themselves by climbing onto the roof.
Sie warteten in der Kälte und im Dunkeln, ohne Strom und ohne Telefon.They waited in the cold and the dark, with no electricity and no telephone.
Am Morgen stand ein Sechstel der Stadt unter Wasser.By morning, a sixth of the city was under water.
The rest of the history
- Kapitel 2: Der Mann, der handelte · The man who acted Premium
- Kapitel 3: Höhere Deiche · Higher dikes Premium