‘It’s daily news now, here in Germany’ – DW – 03/04/2025

Like many towns and cities in Germany’s western states this week, Mannheim should be full of revelers celebrating the final colorful and joyous days of the annual Carnival season.

Though its main festivities took place on Sunday, Mannheim’s downtown still had a celebratory appearance on Monday, with amusements and food vans lining the city’s main retail strip and central squares. 

Carnival usually ends on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. But Mannheim’s festival has ended prematurely, with silence instead of celebration.

Two people died and five were seriously injured after a car sped through crowds near Mannheim’s Paradeplatz on Monday afternoon.

A 40-year-old German man has been arrested. 

Police and public prosecutors allege the attack was intentional, though not one with a “political” motive. Instead, officials are exploring the role the man’s psychological health may have played.

With Mannheim’s main street cordoned off and a major police presence keeping guard at key entry points throughout the afternoon, there was little incentive for locals to remain out on Monday. 

Some visitors coming to the city for Carnival were shocked to hear the news of an attack. Others were matter-of-fact: “It happens”.

Shock, sadness and resignation

As is customary in the event of a major public incident, many locals received a buzz on their mobile phones with authorities deploying a wide-ranging public alert. 

For those not at the scene, such alerts can be as confusing as informative. 

“[My concern] was [whether] my brother was safe because he’s also from Mannheim and I didn’t know where he was at the time,” Gabriel, 19, told DW. “My first call went to him, he was safe, fortunately.”

DW spoke to several locals in the city center following Monday’s attack. Many described feelings of disbelief, others were less surprised.

“There was a Carnival [event] at the Paradeplatz where a lot of people come together, dressed up, drinking alcohol, having a nice time, and then it happened,” Gabriel said. “It was kind of devastating, you hear this news every week now — someone gets stabbed, someone gets run over.”

Paul, another teenager, said he could remember a time when Germany “felt safe.”

“I expected it because we’ve been having a lot of attacks recently, here in Germany,” he said.

“I did have a shocked reaction because it happened in my city.”

‘It’s daily news’: Public attacks become more commonplace

Mannheim is no stranger to public attacks.

In May last year, a police officer was killed while attempting to prevent a stabbing attack in the city. Knife attacks resulting in deaths and injury have since occurred in Solingen and Aschaffenburg.

Cars have also been used as weapons: in February a Munich mother and child were killed in a car-ramming, around 300 people were injured and six killed when a man drove a car into a crowded Magdeburg Christmas market in December last year.

Although this attack appears unrelated to political or religious motives, people have come to accept — or at least expect — such attacks.

“It’s daily news now, here in Germany,” Gabriel said.

At another part of the city center, Alik, 30, and his wife attended a public vigil for the victims of the attack as a show of solidarity for their city.

Alik told DW he was surprised to see that only three candles had been placed as a public vigil for those who died.

“My wife’s colleague saw everything, she was very shocked. My wife didn’t believe what happened,” Alik said. “She asked her colleagues ‘Was it the same situation like in Magdeburg?'”

“It’s very embarrassing that it happens that often in Germany.”

Ailk said public attacks, irrespective of motive, undermine the confidence of locals in their cities.

“It’s more and more difficult to look forward with hope into a future that’s unclear.”

Edited by: Rana Taha