Following the violent death of a train guard in Rhineland‑Palatinate, Deutsche Bahn called for a nationwide minute of silence on Wednesday afternoon. The company urged all colleagues, rail workers and passengers to join the moment of reflection at 3 p.m., it said.
“We are profoundly saddened, moved and shaken. Our thoughts are with his family and friends” the Deutsche Bahn added. For DB employees, suitable announcements, a pause or silence are all possible options, while regular train operations will continue for safety reasons.
CEO Evelyn Palla expressed her shock in a LinkedIn post: “The tragic death of our colleague Serkan C. leaves me stunned and sad. We all at Deutsche Bahn condemn this horrible act of violence and the utterly senseless loss of a life with the utmost severity”. She urged everyone to question why such violent incidents recur and called on politics and society to provide answers. According to Palla, today is “a dark day” for all railway workers in the country, and she confirmed that the company mourns.
The attack took place Monday evening on a regional express departing the Landstuhl station toward Homburg. As the guard was checking a passenger who could not produce a valid ticket and was about to be ejected from the train, the man suddenly attacked him. The guard suffered life‑threatening injuries and was resuscitated on the spot. His death was reported on Wednesday.
