Flood in the Wesertal: Courageous citizens fight for their inheritance!

Flood in the Wesertal: Courageous citizens fight for their inheritance!

St. Margarethen, Österreich - In St. Margarethen, the moving documentary “History Unter Wasser” celebrated its premiere on December 5, 2024. This film looks back on the devastating flood from 2020, which caused massive damage in the region. The municipality's local museum, which was flooded at the time and its valuable exhibits seemed to be lost forever, was particularly affected. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of committed citizens, the cultural heritage of the community could be largely saved and restored, as the NÖN reported.

The effects of the flood are not only physically, but also mentally noticeable. Many affected households still have to deal with unfinished renovations. Tragically, some have even been victims a second time, this time from dubious construction companies that demanded a lot of money for their services but did not work. The film addresses this fate and shows how essential a dialogue about the teachings from such disasters. The filmmaker Jérémy Parotte said that the spectators reacted from anger to grief to joy, since the topic was finally addressed. "Après la Pluie" aims to promote a broader discussion about dealing with climate crises and natural disasters, as reported by Brf

teaching from the past

The film not only illuminates the humanitarian aspects of the catastrophe, but also the challenges of spatial planning, which will be decisive in the future. Where is it safe to build if there is a risk of new floods? Here the question arises how communities can best react to changing climatic conditions. Parotte emphasizes that it is of central importance to integrate knowledge from scientific studies into construction and spatial planning in order to minimize future damage. Without adequate resources on the part of regional politics, it will be difficult to build a company that reacts to such crises in solidarity and sustainably. "Après la Pluie" is not just a review, but a brave call for proactive planning for the future.