Train accident of 1985: New revelations shock Greifswald!

Train accident of 1985: New revelations shock Greifswald!

A shocking incident in the history of the Reichsbahndirektion Greifswald (Rbd Greifswald) describes the rail accident on November 23, 1985, which startled those responsible for state transport. The following day, November 24th, there was a special report from the presidents and heads of the political departments of the RBD to the Minister of Transport, Otto Arndt. This event was by no means an isolated incident, but was in the context of two serious railway accidents that occurred in the management in the autumn of the same year.

In one of the accidents, which occurred on September 8th, a shunting unit collided with a National People's Army (NVA) transport train in Prenzlau. This collision left 33 people injured and was just the start of further disasters. On November 19th, two passenger trains collided near Eggesin, resulting in serious injuries to three passengers and causing property damage of around 200,000 marks. The train driver, who had entered an occupied section of the route without an order to leave, was to blame for this incident. The Neubrandenburg public prosecutor saw the causes of the accidents in the railway staff's disregard of official regulations and then targeted the President of RBD Greifswald, Günter Stuhr.

A deeper look into the Reichsbahn Directorate

The Reichsbahndirektion Greifswald was founded on October 6, 1945 on the orders of the Soviet occupying power and was an integral part of the German Reichsbahn until 1990. Its management area extended over the former RBD Stettin routes and parts of the dissolved East Reichsbahn Directorate. With the takeover of additional routes from Schwerin in 1955, the Rbd Greifswald was further strengthened. But this was not without its challenges; In the 1980s, the management was confronted with recurring operational accidents that questioned confidence in the safety of the rail network. A ferry connection to Lithuania was set up as early as 1982 and was operated stably after a few years, but safety in rail operations remained a critical issue.

As part of the inspections ordered by the public prosecutor, which also included the RBDs in Schwerin, Berlin, Cottbus, Dresden, Erfurt, Magdeburg and Halle, it became clear that not only the accidents, but also the internal processes and communication between management levels needed to be greatly improved. According to nordkurier.de, a protest against Stuhr was raised as early as November 23, 1985, while Stasi files indicated an imminent dismissal of the president.

The accidents in the GDR and their significance

A look at other significant railway accidents in the GDR, such as the six accidents on November 26th and 27th, 1964, illustrates the problem of safety in railway operations. These accidents were often similar to the incidents in Greifswald, which were characterized by human error and disregard for regulations. Such events required constant vigilance and effective crisis management to ensure safety for all passengers.

In summary, it can be said that the history of Rbd Greifswald is not only characterized by progress and innovation, but also by challenges and tragic accidents. Dealing with these incidents is essential to restore confidence in the region's rail network and prevent future accidents. If you look at the development of the Reichsbahn Directorate since its founding, it becomes clear how important it is to continually improve safety standards in order to learn from the past.