Accident B27 Hechingen: CDU politician Bareiß seriously injured

Confirmation from CDU circles

Police initially did not comment on whether the trapped 51-year-old was the politician. The "Stuttgarter Zeitung" first reported the incident citing multiple sources from CDU circles. Shortly thereafter, CDU circles confirmed to SWR on Sunday afternoon that Bareiß had been seriously injured in the accident. Police had initially only spoken of a 51-year-old man without naming him.

Statement on Instagram

The day after the accident, Bareiß spoke out via his official Instagram account. According to this, the member of parliament is being treated at the hospital in Tübingen, is responsive, and has no life-threatening injuries. The post stated that family and friends are grateful "dass er einen großen Schutzengel an seiner Seite hatte". Bareiß also directed his thoughts to the other people involved in the accident and their relatives.

In the Instagram post, the politician expressly thanked the emergency services: "Sie retten jeden Tag Leben und es gibt nicht genug Worte, um ihren Einsatz zu würdigen." He emphasized that the rescue workers "so schnell vor Ort waren und mit ihrem Einsatz sofort geholfen haben". Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche also expressed her sympathy; the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs responded "mit großer Betroffenheit" to the incident, according to its own statements.

Political career

Thomas Bareiß has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2005. He represents the constituency of Zollernalb-Sigmaringen and, in the current legislative period, serves on the Bundestag's Budget Committee. The 51-year-old is a trained business economist (Diplom-Betriebswirt) and served as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy from 2018 to 2021. He also served as the Federal Government's Commissioner for Tourism and for Co-Determination.

Investigation into the cause of the accident

The exact background of the collision remains unclear. As police further stated, an expert is to reconstruct the precise sequence of the accident. Both vehicles were towed away; the total damage is estimated at around 35,000 euros. Federal highway 27 is a heavily traveled route in the Zollernalb region and runs in the immediate vicinity of Hechingen.

In his social media post, Bareiß also expressed concern for the other people involved in the accident. He had thought of the occupants of the second vehicle constantly in the hours after the accident, the post stated. Wishes for a speedy recovery from the political sphere and the public had multiplied rapidly after the incident became known.

CDU Baden-Württemberg also spoke out on Sunday evening and wished the member of parliament a quick recovery. Wishes for a speedy recovery also came from the ranks of the Bundestag faction; several members of parliament pointed to Bareiß's long political experience and his commitment in the constituency and on the Budget Committee.

Reactions from politics and the region

The incident also throws a spotlight on road safety on the B27. The route is heavily used in the Hechingen region and is considered accident-prone in some sections. Police announced that they would clarify the exact course of the accident with the assistance of an expert. Only then will the authority, if applicable, comment on possible misconduct by individual participants.

According to information from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Bareiß will continue to receive medical care. An official statement from the minister's office referred to the family's wish for peace in the coming days. The attending physicians at the University Hospital Tübingen did not provide further details about his health condition.

The accident caused significant disruptions on the B27 on Sunday morning. The federal highway had to be fully closed in both directions temporarily; the rescue services and fire department were deployed in large numbers. Traffic was able to flow again only in the late morning.

The public prosecutor's office was brought in, as in serious traffic accidents involving trapped persons, an investigation procedure is routinely reviewed. According to initial information, there was no concrete initial suspicion of criminal behavior. Investigators are primarily awaiting the expert's report.

From the politician's circle, it was said that Bareiß will not attend any public appointments in the coming days. His participation in the Budget Committee meetings planned for the week is also not possible for the time being. A replacement within the faction will be organized at short notice, according to faction circles.

In the Zollernalb-Sigmaringen region, which Bareiß has represented in the Bundestag for more than two decades, the accident caused dismay. Local CDU associations and local elected officials expressed their sympathy and wished the member of parliament a quick and complete recovery.

The exact injuries of Bareiß were not described in detail by the attending physicians. According to information from his circle, however, he is conscious and able to talk with relatives and confidants. An initial phase of intensive medical care has been completed, it was said.

For the Zollernalb-Sigmaringen constituency, the member of parliament's absence initially means organizational restrictions. Bareiß is one of the most distinguished constituency representatives in the region and, according to his own description, maintains close contact with municipalities, businesses, and citizens' initiatives. Local politicians told SWR that they were keeping the member of parliament and his family in their thoughts.

The accident near Hechingen is part of a series of serious traffic accidents on federal highways in Baden-Württemberg in recent weeks. Earlier in July, a fatal collision occurred on another federal highway in the state. Traffic experts called once again for better protective measures and more controls.

Overall, the case shows how quickly even well-known public figures can become involved in serious accidents. The rapid response of the rescue workers was decisive in preventing a worse outcome in this case, a police spokesman said.

The CDU Bundestag faction intends to consult on the next steps in the coming days. A possible statement in the Bundestag plenary is also conceivable, according to faction circles. Until then, the principle is to respect the privacy of the member of parliament and his family and to give him time to recover.