Magdeburg residents full of sadness: ‘It looked like war’

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  Chiem Balduk

  Germany correspondent

The flowers are piling up in front of the Johanniskirche in Magdeburg. Around the corner, at least five people were killed and more than two hundred injured in the attack on the Christmas market last night. “I wanted to do something, but I didn’t know what. I’m standing here with a helpless feeling,” says one of those present.

Among them is Matthias, who is in town to visit his father-in-law. He previously worked in the hospital in Magdeburg, so when he heard about the attack he immediately called his former boss. “He absolutely needed me. I arrived there just after 9 p.m. and was able to take care of injured children.”

He worked through the night and performed several resuscitations. “Luckily they all made it,” he says, looking at his own daughter. Together they will lay a bouquet of flowers at the church.

A resident of the Christmas market pays for a bouquet of roses at the flower stall. “I was at the Christmas market until 5:30 p.m. Once home I saw everything happening from my window. It was really terrible, all those ambulances, injured people and tents. I am unhurt, but I don’t feel well.”

Although the center of Magdeburg is filling up with people again, silence prevails. People stare at the barriers while they follow the latest news on their phones. On the street you can still see traces of the dramatic evening: lots of trash, thermal blankets and a pile of clothes.

Neighbor Maria says that people call each other to check how things are going. “A friend’s daughter was injured, but thank God it was not life-threatening. I hope she will have recovered before Christmas. That will not be the case for many people.” She is visibly affected: “It looked like war here.”

Many residents of Magdeburg fear that they too could have been victims. “I came back from the sauna and wanted to do some shopping, but because the parking garage was full, I just went home. If I had been able to park, I might not have been there now,” Dennis realizes.

His son was in the city center. “When I heard the first sirens, I immediately thought of him. Luckily he was unharmed.” His wife was already afraid of such an attack and therefore stopped going to the Christmas market. “It’s so busy and narrow there, she didn’t want that anymore.”

Yet visitors to the Christmas market felt safe. Since the attack on the Christmas market on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz in 2016, security measures around Christmas markets have been significantly increased.

Here in Magdeburg too, large concrete blocks can be seen everywhere, making it apparently impossible to drive a car into the pedestrian area. It requires a sophisticated plan to know how to drive between the barricades.

The Magdeburgians do not know how the Christmas market can be made even safer. “It’s not what it used to be anymore,” says an older lady. “It feels so closed off, while a Christmas market should be open.” Another wonders whether such Christmas markets can even be organized anymore.

People living near the Christmas market don’t want to think about that. “We shouldn’t let ourselves be discouraged,” she says combatively. “Just like after the attack in Berlin, we also went to the Christmas markets again.” Dennis agrees: “You can’t just stay at home in your life.”

Everyone says: there is little as German as the Christmas market, and we must protect that. An employee of a store around the corner from the site of the attack fears that the Christmas spirit will be dampened in the coming years. “This event will remain in everyone’s minds. Christmas will no longer be a celebration for a while.”