Dangerous Water in the Land of the Economic Miracle—Hamburg’s Flood Disaster in February 1962

Abstract

In February 1962, West Germany was well on its way to economic and social reconstruction. However, Hamburg’s flood disaster, causing 315 deaths and important damages, reveals the fragility of the miracle years. The need to give sense to the event triggered a plethora of different narratives on nature, man, society and the future. The shock about the deaths, the misery of the survivors, and the fragility of technical security were debated in terms of religion and cultural criticism. Nationwide solidarity and the context of the Cold war contributed to the reinforcement of a West German nation-building narrative. At the same time, the events underwent a military interpretation, recalling the last war. Finally, the floods paved the way for optimistic and technocratic large-scale solutions. The flood disaster thus gives insights in the collective identity of Germany between fragility and self-confidence.

This contribution is a translation by Jana Kaiser and was first published as Gefährlicher Wasserstand im “Wirtschaftswunderland”. Die Hamburger Sturmflut vom Februar 1962; in: Schenk, G. J. (ed.): Katastrophen. Vom Untergang Pompejis bis zum Klimawandel, Ostfildern © Jan Thorbecke Verlag der Schwabenverlag AG 2009, pp. 171–181. Thanks to the editor for permitting the second publication.