The beginnings

Winkler: “I only know the beginnings from the stories of the residents.

In the seventies, politicians tried to make the nuclear power plant attractive to the citizens of Neckarwestheim.

You bear the burden of production, the others bear the burden of disposal, it was said at the time.

Unit 1 then went into operation, the promise was later broken.

At first, however, the gold rush atmosphere was great.

Stefanie Diemand

Editor in business.

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Philipp Krohn

Editor in business, responsible for “People and Business”.

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Göttsche: My first points of contact were that in the early 1970s the state government decided that Brokdorf should be another nuclear power plant.

There were information events where citizens could get information.

I listened to that and decided for myself that the council at the time made the right decision.

Bühler: I was born in 1980, so I have no memories of it.

But since I was born, I have perceived the nuclear power plant as a safe facility and it has remained so to this day.

In 1975 there was an accident that killed two people.

To the best of my knowledge, they died of hydrogen and burns.

A line broke.

Something similar could have happened at a company like BASF.

But I don't want to gloss over it.

Neubauer: Unit 1 of the Isar power plant went online in 1979 when I was 14 years old.

At school I noticed that the power plant was an issue especially with the older students.

They then ran around with stickers that said, “Nuclear power, no thanks.” My parents also discussed it again and again.

There were many different opinions.

But as a teenager I honestly had other things on my mind.

Göttsche: There were protests against nuclear power, and some local residents were critical of nuclear power.

They spoke out vehemently against it.

Petters: The protests are known as the Battle of Grohnde.

Hardly anyone here calls it that.

Göttsche: That was fifty years ago: the permit was granted.

The protest grew stronger.

But it was a nationwide protest.

Demonstrators from all over Northern Europe arrived.

The dispute over nuclear power in our country took place in Brokdorf and Wyhl.

A normal sight

Krone: I can't remember when it was built, the Emsland power plant went into operation in 1988.

I was in college and didn't follow it.

It is one of the youngest nuclear power plants.

The last one built.

We also have two gas-fired power plants in Lingen.

The cooling towers were always visible.

Most did not distinguish them because the cooling towers look identical.

Winkler: Block 2 in Neckarwestheim is the newest block in Germany; it went online in 1989.

I wasn't there at the time, so I only know it from stories.

The discussion was divided: some saw the great opportunities for Neckarwestheim.

The winemakers and farmers had a different view of it.

In the end, the possibilities outweighed the possibilities for the local council.

Neubauer: The second block came in April 1988, during which time I was in the Bundeswehr.

I still remember that people were often asked back then whether the second person really had to come here now.