At the end of July 2021, western Germany suffered one of the worst flood disasters in German history. The damage left behind by the floods is devastating. Apartments and houses are no longer habitable. Infrastructure has been destroyed. Not to mention that people had to lose their lives. Rebuilding what was destroyed will take years.
Thanks to the overwhelming solidarity and willingness to help throughout Germany, help could be provided quickly. Märklin also wanted to support and developed a special model of the VT 92.5 diesel powered railcar. The sum raised by the sale of the special model will benefit those affected by the flood disaster in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.
On this page we would like to inform you regularly about the progress of the projects supported by Märklin!
- Help that arrives
In the end, the sale raised € 210,000. Many thanks to all the buyers who made this considerable sum possible. Märklin is now donating the entire net proceeds of € 210,000 to specific projects in the affected region.
From the very beginning, it was important to Märklin that the aid really reach where it was needed. Thanks to the cooperation with Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V., this concern could be realized as desired. Together, they identified a community that was in need of support. A first, concrete project was also quickly found.
- The community
The small community of Kreuzberg an der Ahr with about 500 inhabitants, was particularly affected by the flood. 165 of 195 buildings were damaged and/or uninhabitable. The railroad bridge was destroyed and the rail connection is permanently out of service. The gas supply as well as the (waste-) water supply in the small village was severely affected. Childcare facilities for small children and schoolchildren from Kreuzberg and neighboring villages, ceased to exist overnight. This is exactly where Märklin and the Maltesers wanted to start, in order to set up a service for the children as quickly as possible.
- The 1st project
A temporary childcare for small children and school child care of Malteser, integrated into the flood relief center built on a container basis on the grounds of the "Alte Mühle" in Kreuzberg an der Ahr. The offer is aimed at children from Kreuzberg, Altenahr, Altenburg and Pützfeld. In addition to all-day care by full-time and volunteer Malteser staff, the children will also have the opportunity to eat lunch. The management takes over an educator specialist. The aim is to provide "appropriate care for the children while at the same time relieving the burden on educators who are involved in work and/or reconstruction". Märklin will support this project with € 110,000.
News about the projects
26.11.2021
The daycare and school childcare has started. The containers have been extensively equipped so that professional care is possible despite the circumstances. The children are cared for from 12 noon to 6 p.m. and receive a hot lunch.
25.10.2021
On Monday, October 25, 2021 in Göppingen, Florian Sieber, Managing Partner of the Märklin company, and Wolfrad Bächle, Managing Director of Märklin, presented a check for €210,000 to Edmund Baur, State Representative of Malteser Germany, and Ingo Radtke, Federal Representative of Malteser Germany's flood relief organization, who will use the donation to rebuild daycare centers in the crisis areas of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.
29.09.2021
Delivery and start of assembly of the containers intended for childcare. The containers will be integrated into the existing flood relief center "Alte Mühle".
