Fir tree for the Chancellery - truck gets stuck
There has been a mishap during the felling of the so-called Chancellor's fir tree for the Federal Chancellery in Berlin. The low-loader, which was supposed to transport the 17.5-metre-high spruce from Brandenburg, got stuck in the sodden ground of the city forest in Eberswalde on Friday morning, as Stephan Kirchharz, Managing Director of the Brandenburg Forest Owners' Association, reported. The ground had softened due to the heavy rain this week.
The low-loader now has to be pulled out of the mud with a truck and an excavator. "I hope that everything will still work out," said Kirchharz. "Because the crane has already been ordered for tomorrow morning at eight o'clock to erect the tree at the Chancellery." The Chancellor's fir tree, which is a magnificent spruce, is to be handed over to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) next Wednesday.
There were also difficulties transporting the Christmas tree to the Berlin Memorial Church this year. The truck on which the tree was loaded broke down. Last year, the tree for Breitscheidplatz on the low-loader was too high for a Berlin tunnel.
The Federal Government may need to consider implementing stricter regulations for transporting large trees, such as the Chancellor's fir tree, to prevent future mishaps. Despite the incident, the Chancellor's Christmas tree is expected to be fixed and erected at the Federal Chancellery on time for the festive season.
Source: www.dpa.com
