Jurgen Kummerle, an editor at the Heilbronner Voice, interviewed me by phone a few days ago. I'm actually quite happy with the result.
"Stuttgart 21 is a European concept and a unique opportunity for Baden-Württemberg." Heinrich Kuemmerle from Heilbronn is an advocate of the billion dollar project. For the career officer, Stuttgart 21 is not just an affair of Baden-Württemberg. "This has Germany and Europe-wide effects," says Kümmerle. He likes to talk about the Magistrale for Stuttgart and means the main traffic route of a region, a city or a country. Kümmerle is very European and, as chairman of the Europa-Union Heilbronn, is interested in connecting Baden-Württemberg to the European rail network.
The fact that the financial expenses have developed differently than planned is not an argument for Kümmerle. "There is no major project where the costs do not explode." He also fears that - should Stuttgart 21 be rejected - the released funds will not flow back to Stuttgart any time soon. "It's not like the money could then be used to renovate the station. The funds are then first used for other projects,” says Kümmerle. He became aware of Stuttgart 21 when he first heard about the grants for the state capital. "I would have liked an ICE connection in Heilbronn. But I was probably born too late for that,” says the 48-year-old.
That's why he wants to continue to support the Stuttgart 21 project. For him, the advantages result from the faster connection to Stuttgart Airport. Kümmerle is a frequent flyer and is therefore interested in a fast train connection from Heilbronn to the airport.
There is no question for him that Stuttgart 21 will come about. “Politics have decided. So I'm sure it will be enforced. Baden-Württemberg will vote for Stuttgart 21.”
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad, Roughing It (1984 [1869]: 521)
