Host Nation Update, March 17, 2025
Long Night of the Museums in Stuttgart – Cruise through the city in a red Jaguar E-Type on March 22
Sixty Stuttgart museums, galleries, historic buildings, industrial monuments and off-spaces will open their doors on March 22 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. for a night full of art, culture, parties and interesting facts during the Long Night of Museums. The Württemberg Automobile Club with its “Rolling Museum” is already a regular guest at the Long Night events organized by Lift Stuttgart magazine.
Traditionally, the court of honor of the New Palace is the stage for the Long Night of Museums, where classic cars are brought to a high gloss, but the noble vehicles are not just there to be seen. This year, WAC President Bernd Schlossnickel leads the series of 30-minute tours through the city starting at 6 p.m. with a bright, red Jaguar and the combination of color and model (E Type V 12 Roadster, built in 1974) ensures that everyone in the passenger seat will be paying attention. Being quick counts, at least before the start – you can register at sylvia.rabe@pr-rabe.de. The Long Night ticket for 22 euros (reduced 16 euros) is available in advance and on March 22 at all Long Night stations. (SN, March 17, 2025)
Chaos in rail traffic due to Stuttgart 21
Rail travelers have a lot to contend with. In addition to the general deterioration of the nationwide rail network, which slows down trains or causes them to be canceled altogether, there are also the construction sites for the Stuttgart 21 project in the greater Stuttgart area. And the closer it gets to commissioning, the more severe the impact on passengers and rail companies.
The regional association responsible for S-Bahn services (VRS) is now pointing out these shortcomings more clearly than ever before and demanding more commitment from the Stuttgart 21 builders to cushion the negative effects for passengers. Anyone who thought that the impact would ease as the commissioning date – currently forecast for December 2026 – was proven wrong as the date draws closer. Even the postponement of the opening by one year has not led to any relaxation in the schedule.
Like Hermann before him, the association complains that the rail companies are hardly able to put together a reliable and functioning replacement concept. This is due to “the number, duration and diversity of the various closures.” The region concludes that “urgent action is required.”
Deutsche Bahn should have a reliable planning basis for the planned closures for 2025 and 2026 by the next Stuttgart 21 steering committee. It remains to be seen whether the federal government is willing to make another funding commitment since “DB AG has adjusted its digitization strategy.” The region sees this as “a very ambitious task.” (SN, March 17, 2025)
Spring is on its way
People in Stuttgart can be happy: whether it’s a coffee on the terrace, an ice cream in Königstraße or a walk in the palace gardens – all this should be possible in the course of the coming week with plenty of sunshine and pleasant temperatures.
Temperatures are set to rise steadily over the next few days, as meteorologist Sarah Müller from the German Weather Service (DWD) in Stuttgart said on Sunday. A lot of sunshine is also expected.
On Monday, highs of 9 degrees are expected in Baden-Württemberg’s state capital. On Tuesday, the maximum temperatures will climb to 11 degrees and on Wednesday up to 17 degrees. At the start of spring on Thursday, the thermometer will reach 15 degrees. On Friday, spring will really get into full swing: By the end of the week, peak temperatures of up to 20 degrees are forecast in Stuttgart, according to the expert.
There could still be some isolated rain on Monday. By Tuesday, the last of the rain clouds will have cleared and there will be plenty of sunshine throughout Baden-Württemberg, according to the DWD forecast. The weather will be more unstable next weekend. According to the meteorologist, rain will move across the country from the west. Temperatures are also expected to drop again. (SN, March 17, 2025)
Using cell phones while driving poses a great risk
Checking WhatsApp while driving, scrolling through Insta at the traffic lights, searching for a radio station on the highway or readjusting the navigation system – please don’t do that! Distracted driving is a very significant accident risk.
“We are so concerned about this issue that we are making it the core topic of our road safety campaign,” says the Ministry of Transport. “Mobile phones at the wheel are more dangerous today than ever, because it’s no longer just about making calls. News, social media, navigation and even video streaming – all of this is now done on a single device,” said Transport Minister Winfried Hermann (Greens).
According to figures from the Ministry of the Interior, almost 90,000 drivers were caught using a cell phone at the wheel in the southwest last year. Almost 4,000 accidents were caused by distracted driving. That is almost 700 more than in the previous year. In around 2,000 cases, people were injured and 47 died.
“Every second that your eyes are not on the road increases the risk of serious accidents,” emphasized Hermann. It is only in recent years that “distraction” in road traffic has been recorded as a cause of accidents at all.
The number of unreported cases is enormous. In a study, Allianz insurance company estimated the number of violations to be “defensively estimated” at least 1 billion per year, with only a very small fraction being recorded.
Kirstin Zeidler, Head of Accident Research at GDV, said that more checks on infringements of the rules were needed.
“If there is a legal ban on cell phone use at the wheel, then the legislator must also enforce it,” she said.
She is also in favor of more severe penalties: Until now, cell phone offenders have been fined 100 Euros and given one point in Flensburg; the accident researcher is in favor of two points. “This is independent of your wallet and also has a stronger educational effect because the driver’s license would be gone faster.”
However, police headquarters in the State are concerned that distracted driving due to cell phones, touchscreen operation, on-board computers and the like is difficult to prove. Without clear witness statements, this is very difficult, says a spokesperson for the Offenburg police. In the case of serious accidents, the police should be allowed to check the cell phone as standard, suggests accident researcher Zeidler. Another good option could be distraction alarms, which give a signal if the driver takes their eyes off the wheel for too long. A project in Rhineland-Palatinate is also promising: cameras monitor the flow of traffic in some places there it can be detected whether a driver is on a cell phone.
“We would welcome that here” emphasizes Zeidler.
However, the legal basis for such so-called “Monocams” does not exist in the Southwest, according to a spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Interior. However, developments in the neighboring federal state are being closely monitored. Those who are caught react in very different ways: “Insight, annoyance, denial, indifference,” says a spokesperson for the Offenburg police.
According to the Allianz study, using a cell phone is often seen as a kind of habitual right. Or people make imaginative excuses, says a spokeswoman for the Pforzheim police headquarters, citing as an example the excuse of a man who said: “The smartphone was my wife’s wallet and I had to warm my cheek with it.” (SN, March 17, 2025)
Strike against drug trafficking – Smuggling of 73 tons of cocaine to Europe busted
Investigators from Baden-Württemberg have seized 73 tons of cocaine worth billions in a crackdown on drug trafficking between South America and Europe. According to the European police authority Europol, the cocaine was being transported from Ecuador to Europe via criminal cells in Germany and Spain. The police operation, which was led by investigators in Ecuador, also involved the Baden-Württemberg State Office of Criminal Investigation and the Stuttgart Customs Investigation Office.
The international gang transported tons of cocaine by sea container from Ecuador to ports in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. The participants in Germany and Spain, who had trading and transportation companies as well as drivers, took over the logistical part of the smuggling in Europe and the further distribution of the drugs within the EU, Europol reported.
Since the investigations began in 2024, 14 people have been arrested in Germany and Spain, Europol reported.
“Strengthening cooperation with Latin American countries is crucial – the fight against organized crime requires a global effort,” said Europol chief Catherine De Bolle. “Every country along the supply chain has a crucial role to play in disrupting violent criminal networks at all levels – from production to distribution.”
Ecuador is an important transit country for cocaine from Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, which is smuggled to the USA and Europe. According to Europol, the dismantling of the drug gang documents the progress made in the partnerships between European investigators and Latin America, including the recent conclusion of an agreement between the EU and Ecuador to improve cooperation and the exchange of operational information. (SN, March 17, 2025)