Petition for railway romance: Fans fight for their favorite show!

Petition for railway romance: Fans fight for their favorite show!

SWR's decision to discontinue the popular TV show "Eisenbahn-Romantik" at the end of the year is currently causing a stir among fans and railway enthusiasts. For a long time there was hope that the report series would be prevented from closing, but now massive resistance is forming. The petition on the Open Petition platform, which was launched at the end of June, has already collected around 13,000 signatures. For many, “railroad romance” not only stands for nostalgic train journeys, but also for the preservation of an important traditional culture.

Ulrich Klumpp, a passionate railway fan from Speyer, is leading the petition and would like to initiate a meeting with SWR director Kai Gniffke. In a video he appeals to those responsible: “The inspiring effect of the show is immense for many train fans.” It is unfortunate that such an esteemed program is now on the brink after producing over 1,000 episodes and captivating numerous viewers.

Ratings and criticism

The SWR justifies the attitude with mixed ratings. In the last ten years, “Eisenbahn-Romantik” achieved market shares of between 3.2 and 4.2 percent in the broadcast area and were between 1.2 and 2.5 percent nationwide. Last year viewership was at the lower end of the scale. Despite all this, many fans are convinced that the show represents the cultural heritage of the Southwest and should therefore be preserved. The AfD parliamentary group in the state parliament has also spoken out against the closure and illustrates the importance of the program for the railway tradition in the region.

Hagen von Ortloff, the show's former host, also raised his voice and signed the petition. On his YouTube channel he calls on viewers to support the preservation of “railroad romance”. The goal? 20,000 signatures should be collected by the end of the petition. A friendly call from Klumpp to spread the link to the petition among friends and acquaintances cannot be ignored: Click here for the petition.

A look at the variety of programs

Despite the impending closure, numerous editions of the show are celebrating their repeat. Today, August 30, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., an episode about live steam models in Upper Swabia will be shown. Tomorrow, Monday, the program will continue at 2:15 p.m. with the topic “140 Years of Märklin”. Further interesting episodes are planned for the coming days, including an episode about the unpunctuality of trains in Germany.

The variety of topics shows the range with which “Railway Romanticism” thrilled its viewers. Look forward to nostalgic journeys and exciting stories about the railway while it is still possible - because time is running out for this beloved show.

While the future of “Eisenbahn-Romantik” becomes more and more uncertain, the hope remains that things will calm down and the creators of the show will still have a chance. The petition has already sent a strong signal: the desire to preserve this traditional broadcast is strong!