Berlin (dpa) – Horrific deaths shock Berlin: Two women were killed in a knife attack within a matter of days. In both cases, it was most likely by a man. On Friday evening, a 28-year-old woman was stabbed to death in the Friedrichsfelde district – just a few days after the alleged murder of a 36-year-old woman by her ex-husband in Berlin-Zehlendorf. There was another knife attack on a woman on Friday in the Reinickendorf district, but worse was prevented.
28-year-old found with serious injuries in the hallway
The 28-year-old was discovered in the hallway of an apartment building late Friday evening with life-threatening injuries, the public prosecutor's office and police announced. Attempts to resuscitate her were reportedly unsuccessful, and the woman died shortly afterwards in a hospital. Bild had previously reported.
A short time later, the police arrested a 45-year-old suspect, who is the woman's former partner, as the spokesman for the Berlin public prosecutor's office, Sebastian Büchner, told the German Press Agency. The man is said to have attacked the 28-year-old with a knife and stabbed her several times. There were signs of domestic violence in the relationship, said Büchner. The 45-year-old is in police custody. The woman who was killed had two children from another relationship who were not at the crime scene at the time.
A spokesman for the public prosecutor's office was initially unable to provide any information about the nationality. A homicide squad and the Berlin public prosecutor's office are investigating.
Another case just a few days ago
Just on Wednesday evening, a woman was killed with a knife on a street in the Berlin district of Zehlendorf, presumably by her ex-husband. The 36-year-old was a mother of four children. The 50-year-old man is in custody. According to the Attorney General's Office, an arrest warrant has been issued for murder with base motives.
According to initial findings, the police believe this was a so-called femicide. Femicide means that women are killed because of their gender – and also because they are women. The most common form is the killing of women by partners or ex-partners.
During the marriage, there had already been several cases of domestic violence against the woman by the man. Finally, the woman separated and obtained a so-called violence protection order and a restraining order through a court: the ex-husband was not allowed to approach her or speak to her, but had to keep a prescribed distance.
Attempted murder
There was another knife attack on Friday. A man attacked a woman in an apartment in Berlin with a kitchen knife and strangled her. Police and prosecutors are calling the case, which occurred on Friday evening in Reinickendorf, an attempted murder.
“The 38-year-old woman's two children, aged eight and nine, ran into the street to get help,” said Berlin public prosecutor's spokesman Sebastian Büchner to the German Press Agency. They accidentally came across police officers. The officers arrested the 32-year-old, who was just about to attack the woman again.
The 38-year-old was injured and taken to hospital, the attacker was taken into police custody. Both reports come from Ghana.
According to Büchner, the woman had taken the accused into her apartment a week ago. “It is not yet known whether there was a previous relationship beyond the acquaintance.” In the case of the man, it was examined whether he could be placed in a psychiatric clinic instead of being held in custody.
Family Minister wants to better protect those affected
Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus said that those affected were appalled: “Our country has a massive problem of violence against women.” “This must stop,” said the Green Party politician. We not only need a security package against terrorist knife attackers, but also for the prevention and protection of women from violence.” She is preparing a so-called violence assistance law that should give all those affected a right to protection from help, said Paus.
Berlin's Justice Senator Felor Badenberg has again called for consequences for the crimes. “We must finally do something about these brutal murders of men and women,” said the CDU politician, speaking of “pure misogyny.” “I therefore appeal again to Justice Minister Buschmann: Include the ankle bracelet in the Violence Protection Act,” said Badenberg. At the same time, the state level was examining whether and how legal changes and preventive measures could be adapted.
Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) recently said in an interview that he sees electronic ankle bracelets for perpetrators as a means of combating domestic violence and is open to using them. The states are responsible for police law and the use of ankle bracelets. He is having an investigation carried out into whether there is scope for a federal law in this area.
Verdicts on murders of women by relatives in Berlin
Last year, murders of women from Afghanistan by relatives caused outrage in Berlin. Two Afghan brothers killed their sister in July 2021, took her body in a suitcase by train to southern Germany and buried it in a forest there. The murder happened because the sister wanted to live according to her own ideas and that did not correspond to the family's moral values, the court condemned and imposed life sentences.
In 2023, the husband of a mother of six from Afghanistan was sentenced to life imprisonment. He had murdered the woman in revenge. He attacked her in the street with a hunting knife – just a few weeks after their separation. “He viewed the woman as his property,” the judge said in the verdict. “He is immensely selfish, devious, manipulative and malicious.”
