Attack with five dead: Christmas in a mourning city – commemoration in Magdeburg

Flowers, candles, cuddly toys: After the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market with five dead and up to 235 injured, there is no end to grief and sympathy in the state capital of Saxony-Anhalt. Citizens also laid flowers at the central memorial site at St. John’s Church on Christmas Eve; many had tears in their eyes.

Mourners also expressed their condolences with flowers and candles at the neighboring Old Market, which is part of the now closed Christmas market. “I couldn’t come here at first because it shocked me too much,” said a pensioner to the German Press Agency. “But I wanted to be here today. It’s Christmas.”

Memorial concert on Boxing Day

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for solidarity in his Christmas speech. The Magdeburg Theater wants to commemorate the victims with a concert on Boxing Day. The theater announced that 200 free tickets will be given out to those affected, relatives of the victims, rescue workers and first responders. They would be available for collection at the checkout.

The perpetrator, Taleb A., who is now in custody, raced through the Christmas market in a car on Friday evening. The investigation into the motivation of the doctor, who comes from Saudi Arabia and came to Germany in 2006, is ongoing. Most recently, he spoke out in increasingly confused and radical ways on social media. In a recent interview, the 50-year-old revealed himself to be a fan of X owner Elon Musk and the AfD, which pursues the same goals as him – but described himself as politically left-wing.

Authorities in several countries had to do with Taleb A

Police officers continued their crime scene work on Tuesday. When asked, a spokeswoman for the Magdeburg police station said that state police officers were on site to do “documentary work” as part of the investigation.

According to information from the German Press Agency, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Ministry of the Interior want to present a case chronology on the perpetrator this year. The aim is to compile which authorities had which information about Taleb A. at what time and how these were followed up. Authorities in at least six federal states are said to have had dealings with him.

Green party deputy Konstantin von Notz criticized in the “Rheinische Post”: “Once again there seems to have been an overall lack of knowledge and a problem in combining the various information with regard to the perpetrator and the threat he posed.” The Magdeburg attack reminds him of the Berlin Breitscheidplatz attack eight years ago.

Federal President calls for solidarity

Federal President Steinmeier’s Christmas speech was also dominated by the attack. “Hate and violence must not have the last word. Let’s not let ourselves be driven apart. Let’s stand together,” said Steinmeier in the address published in advance. Many people’s hearts will be heavy this Christmas. Many are upset and unsettled, perhaps even afraid. “All these feelings are understandable. But they must not control us and they must not paralyze us.”

According to the police, around 4,000 people in Magdeburg commemorated the victims of the attack with a human chain on Monday evening and took a stand against political appropriation by the right. At the same time, the AfD held a rally in the city, which, according to police reports, around 3,500 people took part. With regard to the perpetrator, party leader Alice Weidel said that anyone who despises the citizens of the country that grants them asylum “does not belong to us.” During the event, “Deport! Deport! Deport!” was repeated over and over again. chanted.