Mannheim, Germany, Sept 20. (dpa/GNA) – Seven months after train conductor Serkan Çalar was fatally assaulted by a passenger without a ticket, his family, friends and colleagues gathered on Friday in the Mannheim central railway station for a memorial ceremony.
Çalar, 36, a single father of two minor children, died in February of a brain haemorrhage, following the assault on a regional train in south-western Germany.
The 26-year-old perpetrator was sentenced to 10 years in prison for bodily harm resulting in death, with the crime sparking outrage and a debate over safety in public transit.
Demonstrating their support, Transport Minister Steffen Bilger and the chief executive of railway operator Deutsche Bahn, Evelyn Palla, also attended the unveiling of a plaque dedicated to Çalar on Platform 1 of the station in Mannheim, where he was based.
The plaque includes words of remembrance, noting that he had served passengers and colleagues “with great dedication.” “We remember him in gratitude and respect,” says the tribute, which is also dedicated to all service personnel in uniform.
In 2025, Deutsche Bahn recorded 3,264 physical assaults on employees across the entire network, with roughly 70% involving train conductors.
At the regional train service, DB Regio, there were 1,659 cases. In the first half of 2026, 989 physical assaults were already counted there, including 22 involving grievous bodily harm.
The government intends to address this with a legislative initiative that proposes harsher penalties for assaults in public transit.
The railroad is also testing having employees travel in pairs and other measures.
GNA