We are now experiencing a time of extraordinary drought in Germany. I wish to document my view about this drought with photographs of two locations on the Rhine, in the City of Mannheim, in the area called „Bei der Silberpappel“ (next to the silver poplar) and along the Rhine promenade.
I experience what I see here as an appeal for help from the Rhine, calling every human being to draw personal consequences, to accept a few inconveniences, so that our land does not burn. If you read these lines, please ask yourself what you can do to still delay the climate catastrophe, whether by your lifestyle or your political, societal or cultural involvement.
Here is a place where I like to go swimming in summer, a side arm of the Rhine in the area „Bei der Silberpappel“. Virtually all the people shown on this picture stand in areas that are practically always under water. Only the person sitting in the shade of the tree is in an area that is normally above water.
This is an area directly to the left of the first picture. Most of the area free of vegetation is usually under water.
This is a view toward the right from the first picture. In the background flows the main stream of the Rhine, beyond it lies the opposite, Ludwigshafen shore of the Rhine. The entire area near the bottom margin of the picture usually stands under water.
Another view toward the main stream of the Rhine, with the Ludwigshafen shore in the background. The shoreline on both sides of this side arm is normally much higher, and most of the gravel is covered by water.
Looking straight across the side arm. Usually one can swim here very nicely. Now one can almost wade through.
At a similar location, looking upstream along the side arm of the Rhine. The shore on the left is usually completely under water.
Closer view of the branches visible in the background in the previous picture. These branches are usually largely covered by water. The shore areas visible on the left and right are normally completely under water.
At the Rhine promenade, a pontoon, the Konrad-Adenauer Bridge to Ludwigshafen in the background. The grass is totally dried out, and the trees are not doing well. The pontoon usually floats much higher.
At the Rhine promenade as above, with the view focused on the dried out vegetation. Here usually everything is green, even in high summer.
