00 AM.. The exercise, coordinated by the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), saw the majority of smartphones in the country emit an alert notification and many public displays also showed a warning message.
The annual ‘Warntag’ (warning day) has been implemented since 2020, taking place on the second Thursday of September each year, with a warning issued at 11:00 AM followed by an all-clear signal at 11:45 AM. Following a significant technical malfunction and system overload during the inaugural exercise in 2020, the 2021 test was cancelled. Exercises have resumed annually since 2022.
While the alert was widely disseminated through mobile devices, participation from television broadcasters was less extensive than desired by the BBK. Many stations did not display the warning as a scrolling banner, as planned.
The next nationwide test alert is scheduled for September 10, 2026.
