Quick Takes // By Ben Frankel Where Is Helmut Schmidt When We Need Him?

Published 20 March 2020

Helmut Schmidt came to the attention of Germans, and Europeans, in February 1962, when he competently and effectively managed the crisis which followed the massive flood which inundated the city of Hamburg. His determined, unbureaucratic, and effective management of the crisis earned him the reputation of a Macher — someone who gets things done regardless of obstacles. This reputation carried him all the way to the chancellorship (1974-1982). He was a competent, low-key, trustworthy straight shooter who told it like it is. Someone who offered a calm, steady, and reassuring leadership in trying times. A pair of safe hands in a time of crisis. On Wednesday, the title of an editorial in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung told us something about the mood, and yearnings, in Germany – and around the world: “Wer ist heute der Helmut Schmidt?” (Who Is Today’s Helmut Schmidt?).

 

On 16 February 1962, a storm surge flooded large sections of the northern German city of Hamburg, killing more than 300 people and forcing 60,000 residents out of their flooded homes. Helmut Schmidt was then the Innensenator on the city council, in charge of the police and what we would today call first responders.

With the city’s infrastructure in ruins, communication system down, tens of thousands of residents wading hip-high in contaminated water, and the political leadership paralyzed – Schmidt took charge. He informed the mayor and city council that he would manage the crisis, and proceeded to do so, even overstepping his legal authority by demanding that soldiers from Bundeswehr bases nearby come to help in the rescue operations (“Sie sind mir nicht unterstellt worden, ich habe sie mir genommen” [they were not placed under my command; I took them], he told Der Spiegel later) (until the law was changed in 1968, the federal army was not allowed to be used in any “internal” missions). He also contacted the commanders of NATO forces stationed in the area and they, too, came to the rescue.

Grateful city residents would, for years, call him “Herrn der Flut” (Lord of the Flood)

His determined, unbureaucratic, and effective management of the crisis earned him the reputation of a Macher — someone who gets things done regardless of obstacles. A competent, low-key, trustworthy straight shooter who tells it like it is. Someone who offers a calm, steady, and reassuring leadership in trying times. A pair of safe hands in a time of crisis.

In Germany today, they miss Helmut Schmidt.

The other day, Jasper von Altenbockum, the domestic politics editor of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, wrote a column under the title “Wer ist heute der Helmut Schmidt?” (Who Is Today’s Helmut Schmidt?). Here is the first paragraph:

Every crisis seeks out its politicians. Until the reunification [of Germany, in 1990] and beyond, Helmut Schmidt was the image of the in-control crisis manager because, in a critical situation, he did not waste time launching flares [into the sky] before starting to save the victims of a once-in-century storm surge [the February 1962 flood which devastated his hometown of Hamburg] — he simply did it, even demanding [Bundeswehr] soldiers [for rescue operations]. Since then he had played this role of his life - all the way to the chancellorship. Who is today’s Helmut Schmidt?

In the current situation we need a Helmut Schmidt, and not only — not even especially — in Germany. The need for a steady, competent, trustworthy, effective, reassuring, and reliable leadership to deal with the COVID-19 crisis is pressing.

Who will rise with the occasion?

Ben Frankel is the editor of the Homeland Security News Wire