Overview

• The message inviting the Pfalzlied sing-along was meant for a Wurstmarkt Themen-Abo but was published in the county’s main KATWARN channel, showing as “Landkreis Bad Dürkheim meldet.”
• Landrat Hans‑Ulrich Ihlenfeld called the alert a mistake that must not recur and underscored that the app is reserved for real emergencies.
• The Fraunhofer Institute, which operates KATWARN, described the incident as an unauthorized use of the system.
• Rhineland-Palatinate’s interior ministry labeled the alert unacceptable and emphasized there was no agreed test with police.
• Dozens of citizens filed complaints, and the county and city said they will institute measures to prevent a repeat misuse.