Erfurt in the heat check: Yellow card for the highest stress in Thuringia!

Erfurt in the heat check: Yellow card for the highest stress in Thuringia!

Heat is currently an issue that is causing major concerns, and not just in southern Germany. Today, on July 2, 2025, the heat check from German Environmental Aid (DUH) shows alarming figures for many cities, and in particular in focus: Erfurt.
Erfurt received a yellow card in the heat check and is therefore in the middle of 190 German cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants. The city attracts the most attention in Thuringia with a heat impact index of 15.89. According to thueringen24.de, the average surface temperature in Erfurt between 2021 and 2024 will be an oppressive 35 degrees Celsius.

It's not just the temperatures that make you shiver. The condition of the cities in Germany is also crucial. With almost 45%, Erfurt has the highest imperviousness in Thuringia, which means that the soil can hardly absorb water and heat builds up like a hot pavement. In direct comparison, Gera and Weimar have a sealing level of 40% and 37%, while Jena is also at 37%. The high level of sealing is no coincidence, even if, according to the analysis by the DUH in collaboration with Potsdamer Luftbild Umwelt Planning GmbH, it is not solely responsible for the heat stress.

The challenge of the heat

Things are getting serious for over 12 million people in German cities, as the DUH found that 31 cities were classified in the “red” category when it comes to high levels of heat stress. Cities like Mannheim are particularly hard hit - 88% of residents there are at risk of extreme heat. In contrast, there are places like Hattingen, Gummersbach and Witten, which can set positive examples with their many green spaces and low levels of sealing. The question remains: How can the pressure on our cities be reduced?

Barbara Metz, Federal Managing Director of the DUH, emphasizes the need for more green spaces, as these contribute to evaporation and can reduce temperatures. A single tree can reduce the temperature in a radius of up to 40 meters by up to 10 degrees Celsius. Demands for mandatory minimum green areas in public spaces and on private properties are growing. A step in the right direction is the climate pact that the Thuringian state government concluded in cooperation with municipalities. For this purpose, 27 million euros were invested in climate protection.

Local action and support

A “heat telephone” was launched in Erfurt in June to provide assistance to those seeking help. Plans are also in progress to increase the number of drinking fountains in the city. Jena is also taking proactive action: a support network is being planned for older people living alone who are particularly vulnerable during extreme heat waves.

But the efforts don't stop at the city limits. Gera is also working on a municipal heat action plan, and a statewide heat action plan should be ready by the end of the year. In view of the estimated 3,000 heat-related deaths each year in Germany, such measures are essential for survival.

It remains to be hoped for everyone involved that the experiences and lessons learned from these hot days will lead to more sustainable urban design. There is still a lot to be done to counteract the high temperatures in urban areas. Because one thing is clear: a good knack for dealing with heat can be the key to improving the quality of life in our cities.