Eighteen individuals sustained injuries during a knife attack at Hamburg Central Station in Germany on May 23, 2025. The incident took place around 6:00 p.m. local time on the platform between tracks 13 and 14, targeting passengers waiting for an Intercity Express train to Fulda, Germany.
A 39-year-old German woman, Lydia S., was arrested at the scene by Hamburg police without resistance. Authorities, after reviewing surveillance footage, determined she acted alone. The suspect had been discharged from psychiatric care in Cuxhaven, Germany, just a day before the attack, on May 22, 2025.
Four victims suffered life-threatening injuries: a 24-year-old woman, a 24-year-old man, a 52-year-old woman, and an 85-year-old woman. Six additional people were seriously injured, and seven others had minor wounds. By May 24, 2025, all critically injured individuals were reported to be in stable condition in Hamburg area hospitals.
Witnesses reported seeing the attacker sprint through the crowded platform, shouting incoherently and moving her arms in a manner resembling a swimming motion. The knife was initially not visible, and bystanders realized the gravity of the situation only when victims began reacting to their injuries. Two passersby, identified as being of Syrian and Chechen nationality, assisted in subduing the suspect until police arrived.
Florian Abbenseth, a spokesperson for the Hamburg police, stated that there was no evidence of political motivation for the attack. “Rather, we have information, based on which we now want to investigate, whether she may have been experiencing a psychological emergency,” Abbenseth informed journalists on May 23. Police confirmed having “concrete evidence” of the suspect’s mental illness.
The suspect had been recognized by Lower Saxony police since 2021, having visited police stations multiple times, showing clear signs of mental illness. She had received treatment at a psychiatric facility in Cuxhaven for three weeks after being found in a state of helplessness in early May 2025, according to Lower Saxony Health Ministry officials.
A magistrate judge charged Lydia S. with 15 counts of attempted manslaughter linked with dangerous bodily harm on May 24, 2025. These charges pertain to victims who directly sustained knife wounds of various severities. The remaining three victims were injured from shock or falls amid the chaos. Hamburg prosecutors indicated the suspect confessed to her actions when appearing before the investigating judge.
Hamburg Central Station, the second-busiest railway hub in Germany, handling about 550,000 travelers daily, had implemented weapon bans in October 2023 and alcohol restrictions in April 2024 to address rising violence. Despite enhanced security measures that confiscated over 500 weapons, including 350 knives in 2024, the attack happened during peak travel time on the Friday evening preceding the Pentecost holiday weekend.
Emergency services responded with around 410 police officers and 50 firefighters. Four tracks at the station were closed, causing significant delays and diversions for long-distance trains. Railway services resumed by 7:00 p.m., except for tracks 11 through 14 surrounding the affected platform. Deutsche Bahn officials expressed being “deeply shocked” by the attack.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz contacted Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher on May 23 for updates on the situation. Merz described the attack as “upsetting” and expressed his thoughts were with the victims and their families. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt echoed similar sentiments, calling it “shocking when travelers are attacked in a treacherous and cowardly manner.”
This Hamburg attack is the latest in a series of knife attacks across Germany in recent months. On May 18, 2025, four people were injured in a stabbing at a bar in Bielefeld, Germany, with federal prosecutors taking over the investigation after the Syrian suspect claimed jihadist beliefs. In August 2024, a Syrian man killed three people and wounded eight others at a festival in Solingen, Germany, in an attack linked to the Islamic State terror group.
Hamburg authorities previously identified the central station as a hotspot for violent crime and drug activity. The facility’s security challenges became apparent despite the presence of Quattro-Streifen patrols, a joint formation of Federal Police, State Police, Deutsche Bahn security, and Hochbahn security officers that began regular operations in spring 2023. While overall violence incidents decreased from 720 cases in 2023 to 546 in 2024, knife-related crimes increased from 12 to 23 incidents during the same period.
The suspect remains in psychiatric custody as investigations continue into her background and mental health history. Hamburg police confirmed the attack was captured on surveillance cameras, providing additional evidence for the ongoing investigation. The incident has renewed discussions about security measures at major transportation hubs and mental health support systems in Germany.
