Overview
- Cities are rolling out and publicizing tougher protections, with Lübeck detailing road closures, access barriers, heavy “Big Bags,” expanded patrols and enforcement of a nationwide knife ban.
- Braunschweig says its partners have tightened access protection and refined a joint security plan with police and fire services after reviewing standards following the 2024 Magdeburg attack.
- A YouGov/dpa survey reports 62% of people worried about attacks, yet 59% plan a visit, while high prices and crowding rank as larger turnoffs than safety for many potential visitors.
- Rising security costs are squeezing smaller events, with Overath canceling its market and Kerpen scaling back, as NRW’s interior minister calls such decisions regrettable but backs uncompromising precautions and municipalities report costs doubling in some cases.
- Local experiences vary widely, from Bayreuth’s October “Winterdorf” to major markets opening later this month, and Duisburg’s market has already drawn social‑media complaints over prices, crowding and value.