both sides also engaged in a vitriolic war of words which held out little chance of avoiding a strike. schell accused deutsche bahn of "raping" the country and the union, and declared db had "provoked" the strike. deutsche bahn, in turn, accused gdl of "blackmail" and "madness" and said any strike would be "destructive" and an "economic disaster." schell denounced the company, declaring, "this is all a theatrical performance by the railway."