After a “crisis meeting” with Saxony-Anhalt authorities, which was attended by regional president Rainer Haselhoff, and a three-hour “emergency meeting” in which police officials were called. mayor of … magdeburg It was informed late this Wednesday that an agreement had been reached to allow Christmas markets to finally open.
“We will not give in to terrorism,” he declared. The city council was unable to cover the costs and costs due to the strictest safety standards following last year’s attack in which six people were run over and killed. Simone Boris I decided not to sign the activation. The news of the cancellation of Magdeburg’s Advent market caused a huge reaction throughout Germany, where many other Christmas markets are in similar situations, and a sense of defeat spread among the residents of Magdeburg.
“We can’t let this continue, so we have agreed with the Department of State to strengthen our security measures,” Boris said on Wednesday. “A range of measures have been agreed to minimize risks and increase safety, and the application of these measures could allow the market to open up,” he said.
Boris did not specify what specific measures would be taken or the cost framework. New requirements included entry controls and a certified barrier capable of withstanding 7.5 tons of impact. Deficiencies were also found in the protection of minors. The city council and Weihnachtsmarkt GmbH were held responsible as the organizers, and the city council in turn pointed out that the police and authorities had a responsibility to prevent terrorism and genocide.
night shift
“We have to work overnight to ensure that the agreed details are incorporated into the security concept. A police inspection of the market is scheduled for next Monday to examine possible readjustments,” Boris explained the next steps. “Safety is more important than ever. “We have to meet certain standards. We owe it to the people,” declared the head of the organization, State Administration Secretary Thomas Prey, who considered the security concept presented by the company to be insufficient.
After last year’s attack, Magdeburg City Council received extensive advice on security measures for the Advent market, and the basis of the 2025 security plan has been revised. For example, to comply with the new protection standards, new bollards were installed and around 250,000 euros were invested in access protection.
“Our goal is to keep the risk as low as possible and the safety as high as possible,” Mayor Boris said, declining to say where the rest of the funding would come from. “I would like to thank all the parties who directly or indirectly participated in today’s dialogue and contributed to this result. Thanks to them, I hope that the market will be able to open on November 20th,” he congratulated.
“After everything I’ve been through, I had already lost hope, which is why this latest news is a relief.”
Gerhard Strechter
market stall owner
“After all the hardships I had been through, I had already lost hope, which is why this latest news was a relief,” he reacted in a telephone conversation with ABC. Gerhard Strechterthe employees of the sausage stand have already been installed and are ready to open as soon as they receive the corresponding permits. “I don’t know what to think, because if they lower the security measures so that they can pay for it, maybe people won’t feel so safe. Still, I recommend that we enjoy the Advent market like we do every year so that threats don’t end our lives,” said an employee at Magdeburg’s Central Hotel.