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Cochem on the Moselle is the district town: Lieg is at the top of the district administration's list every morning
Photo: imago images / Westend61
To person
Enlarge picturePhoto: private
Heinz Zilles
, 57, has been the local mayor of Lieg im Hunsrück with around 400 inhabitants since 2016, his community belongs to the district of Cochem-Zell in Rhineland-Palatinate.
He belongs to the CDU.
SPIEGEL:
Mr. Zilles, do you know the miracle of Milan?
Heinz Zilles:
No, at the moment we are talking about a miracle in Lieg, namely that, thank God, not a single corona case has been registered in our community in Rhineland-Palatinate.
SPIEGEL: The
miracle of Milan is very similar: the historian Volker Reinhardt describes how the city of around 150,000 inhabitants remained plague-free in the 14th century.
This was achieved through abundant supplies and strict isolation from the outside world.
Do you want to emulate this historical model in Lieg?
Zilles:
That would be way too ambitious, in our community it should be much easier just because of the size, we only have around 400 inhabitants.
SPIEGEL:
Still: How did you manage to maintain a permanent seven-day incidence of 0.0 even after more than 14 months of Corona in Germany?
Zilles:
We attach great importance to discipline, mindfulness and prevention across all generations.
I am very grateful to my fellow citizens for this.
SPIEGEL:
You just took good care of each other?
Zilles:
Yes, that is part of our work.
In addition to social media, our village radio also works perfectly.
In a small community like Lieg, people look closely to see what their neighbors are doing or when unknown cars are driving through the streets and who may be visiting their neighbors.
SPIEGEL:
So you rely on surveillance?
Zilles:
No, it's simply about healthy curiosity, which still drives people here, unlike in the anonymity of a big city.
This is why people feel safe here in the community and not lonely.
This is especially important in a pandemic.
We stick together.
SPIEGEL:
But surely there are also residents who work away from home.
"Everyone is paying special attention now"
Zilles: Yes
, more than 90 of our working people are commuters, but luckily we also have fast internet and a good mobile network in our rural community.
We are even ahead of the urban space.
This gives us good conditions for working from home and those who work in this way use the free time for family, hobbies or hiking in nature.
SPIEGEL:
And what about the couches who shop out of town?
Zilles:
Of course, it takes a lot of luck, chance and divine decree that we have not yet had any cases in our congregation.
We all hope now that it stays that way - and the motivation to keep it up is also there thanks to our previous successes.
Everyone is paying special attention now.
SPIEGEL:
Are you motivated by the zero incidence?
Zilles:
It's nice to be at the top of the district administration's list every morning.
We are listed there with zero cases from the start.
SPIEGEL:
And is the whole village really going along?
Zilles:
Yes, our youth set up a “young for old” shopping service for senior citizens right from the start. This saves unnecessary contacts, and we don't have corona parties or demonstrations.
The volunteer fire brigade takes care of a rapid test station.
The parents of the elementary school and our clubs donated money for room air filters to protect the children in the school.
With small, rule-compliant visits to the front door, the women's community, senior team, local church and others surprised and cheered the citizens time and again.
Something like that is also beneficial to health.
"While other countries are vaccinating, we first create forms"
SPIEGEL:
Are you not tired of Corona yet?
Zilles:
Of course, social life has suffered a lot here too, this dictatorial virus shapes our professional and social everyday life.
And what is decided in politics at the state and federal level can in some cases no longer be understood.
We need clear and strict rules that are also enforced.
A hard lockdown could quickly lead us out of the crisis.
SPIEGEL:
The hard lockdown to get the Lieg miracle?
Zilles:
We definitely have to act more decisively in Germany.
While other countries are vaccinating, we first create forms.
That can't be right and productive.
SPIEGEL:
And how do you deal with that in Lieg?
Zilles:
I try to explain on the spot why the measures are necessary and rely on the community.
We all want to stay healthy.
Plus, we have such a beautiful landscape to enjoy.
Come and visit us!
