Commemoration of the Attack on the Magdeburg Christmas Market, Rüdiger Erben’s Narrow View, and the Complete Lack of Self-Criticism from Political Leaders

Political Self-Staging in Magdeburg

Dear victims and relatives of the attack, dear Federal Chancellor, dear Madam Mayor, ladies and gentlemen,

it has now been exactly one year since the unimaginable happened in our state capital. People who, in the days before the festival, sought joy and relaxation at the Christmas market, became victims of a horrific crime.

December 20, 2024, cast a shadow over this city and our entire country. I was here that same evening, and the terrible images are still etched in my mind. The wounds have not healed to this day. The terror is still omnipresent. We cannot forget. That is right, and it is what we owe the victims. They must never be forgotten. The ongoing main trial also contributes to this.

Today, our thoughts are with you. The perpetrator took six lives and injured hundreds, but he could not break us. The swift, professional assistance of the emergency services and the many volunteers immediately after the act was impressive. Also unforgettable was the great wave of solidarity from all who offered help and support. For this, we give heartfelt thanks once again today.

The cowardly act changed this city and this country. Those who lost relatives, who were physically and emotionally injured, who had to witness the terrible events, are forever marked by this day. The loss of a loved one is one of the most terrible experiences imaginable. We have experienced vulnerability, but we must not remain vulnerable.

That is why it is an important sign that the Magdeburg Christmas market is taking place just a few meters from here again this year. We do not surrender to terror. We live our lives and our traditions. That too is a message that emanates from this day.

The state is intensifying its efforts to prevent such attacks in advance. Yet absolute security will never be possible. We must not allow our free way of life to be destroyed. Our coexistence is based on mutual trust, respect for inviolable human dignity, and neighborly love.

We hold attackers accountable with the full force of the law, but we must not give up our freedom and dignity by harboring hatred in our hearts. This is what distinguishes us from those who spread terror. And we should always bear this in mind—not just here and today, but for all time.

Dear victims, dear relatives of the victims of the attack, dear Minister President, dear Reiner Haseloff, dear Mayor Simone Borris, dear participants of this commemoration,

there are days when darkness does not yield. There are days when grief is so great that it occupies almost all space.

Many of you sit here today with a pain in your hearts that is barely describable in words. Many people in this city, in this state of Saxony-Anhalt, indeed all over Germany, bear heavy grief, even especially today. Exactly one year ago, on December 20, 2024, shortly after 7 p.m., we received news of the horrific act of violence that occurred here in Magdeburg. Most of us, people across our country, were paralyzed with shock. What should have been festive days—the last days of Advent and then Christmas—was overshadowed within seconds by terror and by the immense solidarity people felt.

The last days of Advent and Christmas this year are overshadowed. We still have the heart-wrenching images of the attack site in our minds. We hear the accounts of victims and witnesses, the cries of relatives. Ladies and gentlemen, we are a country that values human life above all else, every individual life. According to our firm belief—and many would say according to our Christian faith—every person is uniquely created. Each person is called to a life in which they can develop, in their wonderful uniqueness.

The crime that took place in this city on December 20 exactly one year ago destroyed lives. It derailed the lives of families and ended six lives in the cruelest, far-too-early way. Family, friends, classmates, colleagues can recount the uniqueness of each of these six people, where they are irreplaceable, and where they will forever be missed. Today, we mourn together. We mourn every single life.

We think of all those heavily burdened by the physical and emotional toll left by this crime. We think of the injured, who had to fight for their lives and health for many days and weeks, some still doing so today. We think of the relatives, but also of the first responders who witnessed the horror firsthand. I hope that for all of us, solace and strength lie in remembering and mourning together today, being there for each other, for the victims of this atrocity, but also in enduring anger and rage together. Anger and rage are justified in the face of such a cruel crime.

On behalf of the federal government, and personally, I want to say to all victims: we stand by your side, today and in the future. And if we fall short, we are called upon today to correct and improve. I want to thank the many people who became heroes on December 20, 2024. That too was part of this day: a day of great humanity. Without hesitation, and sometimes risking personal danger, people helped the injured, comforted them, organized, and listened. They made the decision not to let violence have the last word—a decision we can all make every day.

I thank the police, fire, and emergency services, emergency chaplains, doctors and nursing staff in hospitals, and the many volunteers. They often performed superhuman feats on these days.

Dear families, dear relatives, fellow mourners, citizens of Magdeburg and Saxony-Anhalt, we need comfort and encouragement today, and in this world, repeatedly. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted," as the Bible says. I wish all of you, I wish all of us, that everyone personally finds sources of comfort—in faith, in memories, in stories, and in the embrace of those close to them.

I hope that we as a country continue to be what we are: a country where we unconditionally show solidarity, especially where injustice has occurred; where we stand together where violence breaks out; where we persistently and steadily support those who have to endure violence. December 20 will always remain a day of remembrance because every human life is the highest and most precious value. May we all find encouragement and peaceful coexistence in this remembrance—especially as the Christmas season approaches.

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