The following is from the AP:
A grueling heat wave shut down the air conditioning in three high-tech trains in Germany, leaving dozens of passengers near collapse trapped in temperatures of up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit), authorities said Sunday.
At least 52 people needed medical treatment and about 1,000 people had to switch trains, the national railway system, Deutsche Bahn, said.
All three modern ICE trains — whose windows do not open — were headed west from Berlin on Saturday, Deutsche Bahn spokesman Juergen Kornmann said. While two lost their air conditioning fairly close to a station and could be emptied quickly, a third heated up some distance before reaching the city of Bielefeld.
Kornmann said eight people suffering from heat exhaustion needed to be hospitalized in Bielefeld and another 44 needed medical treatment.
“We regret that some passengers suffered from health problems and even had to be taken to the hospital,” Deutsche Bahn manager Ulrich Homburg said in a written statement. “We are shocked and want to apologize.”
Ninety-one rescue staff called to Bielefeld station had to treat people suffering from hyperventilation, vertigo, overheating, headaches, and other symptoms, the local fire fighters said in a press release.
Among those needing treatment were 27 youths who were on their way back from a class trip to Berlin, it said. The other youths continued their journey on air-conditioned buses.
Hans-Dieter Muehlenberg, chief of a local rescue squad, was quoted by the DAPD news agency as saying temperatures inside the train approached 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).
Deutsche Bahn said, the trains’ problems were caused by the heat outside. Germany has gone through a severe heat wave with temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
(Source: AP)
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30 Responses
Gotta love YWN’s editorial comments! If it can’t be said here, then where?
The picture: is’t current or from nisht mer gedacht yene zeman? Ulrich homburg “we are sorry we had to send people to hospital for treatment. we’re sorry this happened”. would he have said the same thing 60-70 yrs ago.
Would someone explain to me the constructive reason for the posting of this article and, in particular, its title.
My only question is what do todays Germans have to do with their grandparents? Just because the grandparents were Reshoyim does not mean that we want todays Germans to pay for that.
Both Yaacov Deyo’s question and WellInformedYid’s comment are right on – The connection to the Chorban Europe that YWN seeks to make is cheap and distasteful. I say this as the son of a German Jew who lost his family in the Chorban.
I might add that the Germany of 2010 is probably the most hospital and friendly place for a Yid in all of Europe.
Ach duliebe. Das is nicht gut.
I agree with wellinformedyid, what did these Germans do to warrant this headline. This article brings out human suffering which is unrelated to the Holocaust.
Shame on you YWN editor!
It’s a tremendous chillul H’ to make this kind of comments in a public forum.
Should the current germans be blamed for what they grandparents did?
There are very many germans who are ashamed of their past, and are friendlier to jews than most umos haolam.
Your sarcasm is hurtful, extremely offensive and completely out of place.
Shame on you!
We find all the time that HKBH says he will take revenge on the nations that pained us [even though the people who actually pained us are no more alive]. I don’t know the reason, but we see that that’s the way it’s supposed to be!
Sorry #4, but some of “yesterday’s germans” are still running corporations and businesses in today’s germany.
Also, though it is officially against the law, there are plenty of young germans with their grandparents’ nazi hashkafos.
AinOhdMilvado (#10) – My mother was a young Army nurse in WWII – she’s now 90. Tell me, meine dumkopf, do “yesterday’s Germans” age differently than the rest of us? Today’s German corporations are run by people of my generation – post-war baby boomers
Number 8,
I suggest you get yourself some good help!
Don’t you know that Hashem pays back till 10 generations for the sins of ancestors?
Number 4,
Today’s Germans are children of those who butchered our ancestors and therefore have to pay the price as I mentioned above.
I, too, don’t understand why anyone chose to make a reference to WW II.
While it is likely that some Germans do hold on to their grandparents hate, it seems almost childish to direct at some innocent train-riders an ironic recollection of those terrible crimes and possibly seem to mock these passengers and their suffering.
Regarding Hashem’s taking vengeance on the nations, when He tells you the exact parameters and authorizes you to “help Him out”, then some of the comments above would be appropriate. We also know Hashem does not hold back reward from any creature. How much more so would He not hold back reward from those who risked their lives to save His children.
I think the headline and some of the comments above are a childish disgrace and a chilul Hashem, and should not have been stated in a public forum.
There may be a time and place for such types of thoughts. However, the open Internet, where innuendo and non-verbal intent are lost and misinterpretation is rampant, is not the place.
AinOhdMilvado,
Of the 30 companies listed on the German DAX (basically the 30 largest companies in Germany), a total of 2 have CEO’s who were alive during World War II. Both were 4 years old when the war ended and one is an American. I’m sure there are people in the their 80’s running some companies in Germany, but to suggest that that they have a major role in the economy, or that that explains why a train broke down today, or makes this article appearing on this site less of a chilul hashem is ridiculous.
Why not run a story about every fire in Germany and say that it is not even a “taste” of their own medicine?
Did it come to anyone’s mind of thought that this catastrophy in Germany has happened by the Yad Hashem and no other. There is a purpose for all things that happen such as this one and it is for us Yidden to learn from it and realize that the Ribono Shel Olom is watching every minute of every day. By the YWN letting us be aware of such an act that is happening in germany does not mean that we should start writing comments such as “Boruch Hashem the germans are getting what they deserve” or “shame on you YWN for writing such a heading” or “there are many germans that are good so why punish them now for what their grandparents did 60-70 years ago”… All this is not what our Machshova today should be.. Our thoughts should be “EYN OD MILVADO” and thank you RIBONO SHEL OLOM for keeping us aware that you are watching over us (your chosen people). and maybe if we all would have that thought on our minds all the time especially during these 9 days of Menachem Av, maybe we will be zoche to the EMESA GEULA SHELEYMA already !!
the truth is that they are doing the same thing today and trying to. theyre not standing up for israel or jews who are on a political vote to be destroyed by other gentiles. their silence is still as deadly as it was.
Its because of headlines as these, I do not conside YWN as a serious news source, but rather a hack and buff site. This combined with details of every mva in Flatbush are why. The headline is despicable, and I’m sure any holocaust survivor would be appaled.
310, shame on you. It is apparent to me that you have not lost any family members to the Germans during WWII like many of bloggers here on http://www.theyeshivaworld.com or else you wouldn’t have had the chutzpah to post what you did.
And do you know for a fact there were no Jews on that train? The arrogance of the “frum” media is the biggest chilul Hashem going nowadays.
To YonasanW and others…
“I might add that the Germany of 2010 is probably the most hospital and friendly place for a Yid in all of Europe”
FYI… there are plenty of anti-Semitic attacks reported in “germany of 2010”. If germany is the most (you meant) hospitable place in Europe, that’s a pretty sad commentary on Europe! BTW, I would say Italy probably is the most hospitable place.
And, – as the child of an officer in the U.S. army in Europe in WWII, I reserve the right to wait a couple of more generations before thinking about mechila to germany!!!
Why this sudden liberal attitude of Forgiveness to the Germans, this is against Torah Haskofo.
What’s all this about Chilul Hashem? I think we have some self jew haters on this thread! There is no Chilul Hashem in referring to atrocities of the Holocaust in making a comparison like this. No person alive would fail to understand such a thing. I am the first one to argue when there is Chillul Hashem but this is not. Those who want to claim it is a Chilul Hashem wish to be like the other nations and are haters of their own faith!
#22-I’m pretty sure no one suggested forgiving the Germans.
The other Shabbos, late in the afternoon, the topic of this website came up, and not a single member of my family did not exasperation at the overall editorial tone and divisive nature of the comments on this site. My family could probably considered a typical Modern Orthodox family, one which is heavily involved in its local shul, its schools, and with the Yeshiva world at large. All in all, I think we’re the last people who might be called “self jew haters.”
I think we, or at least most of us, hope and pray that the barely veiled hatred and virulent irrationalism that has infested much of this site and its followers does not represent “The Yeshiva World’ at large. If we’re wrong, then us Jews are in much greater danger than we think.
Torah4Me,
This isn’t that hard. A person reading this article might, chas v’shalom believe that Frum people believe that Hashem punishes people not for their own aveiros or even the aveiros of their ancestors, but for the aveiros of people who happen to reside in the same country as those who commited aveiros 60 years previously. Causing someone to think that is the definition of a Chilul Hashem. How you could think this has anything to do with wanting to be like other nations or hating one’s self is beyond me, but I assure neither is true about me or anyone else on this board.
AinOhdMilvado
As the child of two Army Officers in WWII, one of whom was a German immigrant who was a U.S. Army Medical Officer involved in liberating Dachau – and who himself lost his family in the Chorban . . . There now, my credibility must be more than yours, right?
You Sister – My father lost his family – and my wife is the child of survivors who lost most of their families. . . . and I agree with 310. But, does this make my opiniopn weightier?
You and AinOhdMilvado need to cease claiming some special right to your opinions . . argue substance and stop attacking people – it only makes your case look weaker.
Ok, so Bond, this is “Yad Hashem and no other”. Makes perfect sense. As retribution for the Holocaust a train broke down in Germany. This cause and effect relationship makes perfect sense.
YonasanW – I only mentioned my father z”l because YOU mentioned YOUR ancestors as if it gives greater weight to your opinion.
You are entitled to your opinion, AND
I am entitled to mine.
HOWEVER, your name calling is totally inappropriate and only shows YOU for what YOU are.