Memory of the victims: commemorating the Breitscheidplatz eight years after the assassination attempt

Memory of the victims: commemorating the Breitscheidplatz eight years after the assassination attempt

On December 19, 2016, a terrorist attack shook the Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin. A truck, controlled by Anis Amri, raced into the crowd and killed 13 people, including the Polish truck driver Łukasz Urban. This disturbing act, which was connected to Islamist extremism, left numerous injured and traumatized eyewitnesses. Even after eight years, the victims will not forget what will lead to a commemoration on December 19, 2024 at 7:15 p.m. in the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial Church, as berlin-live.de . In this prayer, the names of the killed by Pastor Dr. Sarah-Magdalena Kingreen read aloud, followed by a bell ringing at the exact time of the crime.

memory of the victims

The memorial event is intended to commemorate the victim and their relatives together. Berlin's governing mayor Kai Wegner emphasized: "Berlin is the city of freedom, we defend our freedom and democracy against all internal and external enemies." On this cruel night, which tore a deep wound into Berlin society, many people have the feeling that the attack has left not only physical but also mental scars. Even today, the security measures at the Christmas markets are under enormous pressure. The security measures have been drastically increased since the attack, the area around the Breitscheidplatz is protected by fences and barriers.

The prior warnings of the secret services were heavily discussed after the attack. The Moroccan secret service had warned the German security authorities several times of Anis Amri and referred to its connections to the terrorist militia Islamic State, such as