Stunned survivors recalled the harrowing moment when a vehicle attack transformed a lively Christmas market in eastern Germany into a horrific scene of tragedy and chaos.
Families had gathered around a grand Christmas tree in the heart of Magdeburg when a BMW surged toward them at approximately 7pm (6pm Irish time).
“We didn’t hear the car,” a 32-year-old woman named Nadine told Bild daily, explaining she had traveled from western Germany to enjoy the renowned market in the historic square.
She described how she was cradling her 39-year-old boyfriend Marco when “he was torn from my side” by the SUV that sped through the crowd for a distance of 400 meters.
The anguished cries of the injured reverberated through the terrified crowd, where the car had left behind a path of bloodied victims and debris.
As more than 100 emergency responders arrived at the frenzied scene, Nadine expressed her despair, stating she was unaware of which hospital her partner had been taken to.
“The uncertainty is unbearable,” she lamented, as officials confirmed at least two fatalities, including a child, and over 60 individuals injured.
Authorities announced the apprehension of a suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor.
While no extremist group claimed responsibility for the incident, supporters of the Islamic State group celebrated online with messages like “Merry Christmas, unbeliever,” according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
Local newspaper Volkstimme reported eyewitness accounts indicating the assailant “drove in a zigzag pattern across the market – clearly attempting to hit as many people as possible.”
Read more: Death toll in German Christmas market attack rises to five, over 200 injured. As it happened: Christmas market attack updates
Debris among the closed stalls of the market in Magdeburg
Discarded pizza slices and bottles were scattered among the shuttered stalls at the site of the attack.
‘Sick world’
One bystander shared with Welt TV that after it was all over, “everyone was lying on the ground – children, men, injured; it’s unimaginable.”
“It’s horrific, right next to me the entire time was a lifeless body,” another eyewitness told Welt.
“I thought I was just going to a Christmas market, and then something like this occurs. The world is sick.”
Germany is renowned for its enchanting Christmas markets, and Magdeburg takes pride in its stalls offering regional crafts, marzipan, and a variety of mulled wines.
The city was adorned with dazzling Christmas lights and over a million LED decorations, but after the attack, the area was lit only by the flashing blue lights of police vehicles and the sounds of sirens.
Footage captured by those present and shared by local media depicted individuals rushing to assist and comfort those on the ground amidst the festive stalls.
In television broadcasts from the scene, numerous emergency personnel were seen tending to the injured, some covered by white plastic tents, while loudspeaker announcements urged people to leave the area.
Police commandos armed with assault rifles secured the scene in Magdeburg, a city of around 240,000 that was part of communist East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
As news spread and condolences poured in from political figures, fans of the local football club FC Magdeburg observed a moment of silence during their away game against Fortuna Duesseldorf.
Later that evening, the first condolence flowers began to appear at the scene.
With tears in her eyes, Magdeburg’s mayor Simone Borris announced a memorial service would take place today at the city’s main cathedral.
One woman encapsulated the shocked sentiment when she told Die Welt daily: “I don’t know in what world we’re living in, where someone would exploit such a peaceful event to instill terror.”
