Claus Weselsky: "Our colleagues are forced to announce untruths by announcing the train"

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Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"All of a sudden, we have animals on the road."

Claus Weselsky, GDL boss:
"I've seen it. Then I just do an emergency stop. When I see them and stop there and stop in time. If I can see them in time and if the braking distance is sufficient. Otherwise, unfortunately, they will be bypassed and possibly cause the train to come to a standstill."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Here, of course, are animals that you often see on German tracks. Giraffe and lion. But seriously, there was a case in Cologne last year, where a runaway poodle caused a total of 1000 minutes delay. A bridge had to be closed. How can that be? I mean a poodle. At least we've got a giraffe and a lion."

Claus Weselsky, GDL boss
"I have to tell you, I don't know the case. That sounds more like a staircase joke. It can't be, because some of the popular justifications are simply not right. Our colleagues on the trains are forced to tell untruths by announcing the train."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"For example?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL: "Yes, they say:
people on the track. In Hamburg there are people on the tracks, and in Munich we are running the train late."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"So what's the real reason?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"The real reason is incompetence. You know, in a railroad system, you have to respond operationally. You have to have reserves. You have to have a train driver on standby. What bothers me the most is when the announcement comes: train delay because the train driver is late."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Yes, that happens often."

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"It sounds as if our people are all oversleeping. In truth, the gentlemen have no reserves, no readiness. And if the train driver has to take the train to a certain station and that train is delayed, then the train driver is late, but the management has failed again."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Who gives an order to make a false announcement?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"The supervisors of the train attendants dictate what has to be announced. And they have their own information system, which is called RIS. They read what the real cause is, and then have to do something according to the note or the instructions."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"And from whom do they get the order?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"It's controlled from the very top."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"From the railway board?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"Of course! There's a system to that, isn't it? It's a group of people saying yes that just go from top to bottom. They hardly see people at the middle level making their own decisions. This is delegated to the top. And that has been produced under Mr. Mehdorn. When he wanted to go to the stock exchange, he created a group of ducks. Anyone who objected, professionally, I experienced myself, was soon gone. Either he was demoted, or he left of his own accord."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"What would you say? What percentage of those announcements you just talked about are wrong?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"That's difficult. That's difficult because, of course, the statement: person on the track, that's basically always true. We have between 800 and 1000 cases a year and this is all sad and regrettable and is rather never communicated in public. But the question is, if I know that this is happening in the system, can I take precautions as far as possible so that, in exceptional cases, I can react differently than is the case today."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Why don't you finally take the animals off the track, Mr. Weselsky?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"Well, I have to tell you quite honestly, that's how it is regulated today. The train driver used to get off and chased the animals off the track. This means that he will no longer be relegated because he is not allowed to. He's waiting for someone to get the animals off the track, Mr. Feldenkirchen. And I'd be grateful if you would do that."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Okay, then I'll just do it. You have become a comfortable train driver. Now you're going to get going again."

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL: "Now the train driver is actually waiting for his information:
a free signal that the line is clear. Only then will he be able to drive again."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Dear train driver, the line is clear! You can drive again!"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"Thank you, colleague! Then we'll get moving again."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"We have seen your indignation here. Some people are protesting and demonstrating these days, including many farmers in Germany. Can you understand their anger at Robert Habeck, for example?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"I can understand that. I take politics in a way that I've never had to perceive before."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"How?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"Headless, haphazard, without a strategic, long line."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Who is 'politics'?"

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"The actors. The coalition that is currently acting gives me and the citizens the impression that we are going to do it first, then see where something is happening and then correct it a little. Nowadays we only see actors. Talk for a quarter of an hour and say nothing. Look at political discussions."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"Who do you find particularly actor-like among the current staff?"

Claus Weselsky, head of GDL: "I'll say quite frankly:
In my opinion, the greatest actor has unfortunately become Kevin Kühnert. There was a time when he was chairman of the Jusos, and I held him in high regard. And that's not so easy, if I appreciate an SPD politician."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"You are a member of the CDU."

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"I am a member of the CDU. But that has nothing to do with membership, he had a phase in which he argued really well."

Markus Feldenkirchen, DER SPIEGEL:
"What bothers you about Kevin Kühnert?

Claus Weselsky, head of the GDL:
"Kevin Kühnert defended himself with arguments at the time that he never talked about personal details, but about the program. And when the program is to be implemented, then we can talk about personal details. As chairman of the Jusos, he goes in: "St. Nicholas is out of the grand coalition" and comes out as a member of the board, and the grand coalition was never out of St. Nicholas. That's the party line. This is when someone no longer decides about his conscience, but makes himself a slender foot. You could also call it a spine like a garden hose."