The major flood disaster on February 17, 1962 hit Hamburg completely unprepared. It left 315 dead and 10,000 people homeless. Almost a fifth of Hamburg's urban area was under water. In times of need, the people of Hamburg followed their young police and interior senator Helmut Schmidt, who later became Chancellor, who gained respect nationwide in those days.

Am 16. Februar 1962 tobt ein heftiger Wind und Sturmflutwarnungen werden ausgegeben. Nichts Neues an der norddeutschen Küste. Doch in der Nacht brechen die Deiche, und bald stehen ganze Stadtteile Hamburgs unter Wasser…