Bookseller Josef Mütter was pleased that numerous, mainly young people helped him out again this morning. "They're working like mad men," he says, adding, "I don't even know half of them. It's crazy." The mood hasn't gotten any worse since Saturday, Mütter says. He had already told a reporter from the General-Anzeiger about his confidence, although it was still unclear whether the house could remain standing. In the meantime, the worry is gone: The house is safe, his landlord told him.

While the bookseller talks about his situation, employees of the NRW State Chancellery set up two desks and a microphone system in front of what used to be his shop window. This is precisely where Chancellor Angela Merkel and NRW Minister President Armin Laschet are to report in the afternoon on their impressions of the destroyed part of Bad Münstereifel. What does he think of the two of them coming? "People need something like this so that they realize you care about them," says Mütter.

A few meters away, a helper stands and shakes his head as journalists set up their cameras and microphones. "Does it all have to be like this?" he asks. When one building was being cleared out, a journalist even pushed her way between the helpers. All this hinders more than it helps, he says.

In the meantime, Merkel has arrived in the city. On Sunday, she was in the Rhineland-Palatinate towns of Schuld and Adenau. On Monday, the Chancellor's Office then asked for a visit to Bad Münstereifel, according to the Düsseldorf State Chancellery. Laschet will not have been sad about it. Together with the Chancellor, he is guided through the old town by Mayor Sabine Preiser-Marian. Many are watching the prime minister and CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor closely. Will he be tempted again to make a strange gesture like the one he made the other day when he laughed during the German president's visit to Erftstadt? Nothing of the sort can be observed.

Laschet apparently wants to seize the opportunity and show himself to be a crisis manager at Merkel's side. North Rhine-Westphalia will "double" on Thursday what the federal government approves in aid on Wednesday, he announces. In addition, the application forms for the aid would be ready this week, "it will be quite simple.“

And then the prime minister shows himself to be a man of visions: "I want to do everything to ensure that Bad Münstereifel is resurrected and that it becomes more beautiful than before". He speaks of the need to take precautions against severe weather crises and catastrophes and of doing everything possible to combat climate change. He adds the three words "above all global" - and is very much the candidate for chancellor.

Merkel is asked whether she thinks it would make sense for citizens to be warned by text message in the future. If mobile communications fail, there will be no more text messages, she says, "perhaps the good old siren is more useful than we thought." She had already announced at the Ahr that the federal government would decide on extensive aid. Therefore, she holds back with political statements. She speaks of "appalling damage and appalling conditions," but also of the solidarity of the people. That is comforting. In addition, on this day, her focus is on saying thank you. She thinks especially of the commitment of many young people.

Josef Mütter could also applaud this sentence. First of all, he will repair his store. How long will that take? He doesn't know, and he doesn't want to know at the moment. He is only going "step by step," he says. A week ago, he could never have imagined such an event, after all. "Something will develop, and it will be good," he concludes.

(Original text: Bernd Eyermann / Translation: Mareike Graepel)