Sebastian Fiedler, the SPD’s parliamentary spokesperson on internal affairs, says that the Deutsche Bahn must overhaul its structures after a train attendant was killed in a brutal assault by a passenger. “Safety cannot be subordinated solely to economic considerations” he told the German press.
Fiedler points to an increasing number of attacks against railway employees over the years and argues that Deutsche Bahn and its regional subsidiary DB Regio have not dealt with them adequately. “The new board has so far not shone” he said, implying that the leadership has not taken decisive measures.
He also criticized the use of external security contractors, stating that “sub‑contractors have nothing to do with this”. The coalition government is currently undertaking a comprehensive reform of the federal police law, which will also define the scope of responsibilities. In his view, the Federal Police’s expert competence should play a decisive role in organising safety at stations and on trains, granting them supervisory authority similar to the standard at airports.
The incident that prompted the criticism occurred on Monday evening when 36‑year‑old attendant Serkan C. was struck by a 26‑year‑old passenger on a Deutsche Bahn regional express. He was initially rendered unconscious, revived on the scene, and taken to hospital, where he died on Wednesday morning.