A British woman stabbed at Rosenheim railway station in Bavaria has died in hospital, German police have confirmed, after a 27-year-old German man was arrested at the scene in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 31-year-old woman was attacked shortly before 01:00 local time (00:00 BST). The Independent reported that police were called to the station at around 12.50am following a report that a woman had been stabbed with a knife. She was taken to hospital, where she died from what the Bavarian Police described in a statement as ‘severe’ injuries.
British woman stabbed Rosenheim: arrest and investigation
Officers arrested the 27-year-old suspect at the scene immediately after the attack. The man is from the Fürstenfeldbruck district, according to German news agency DPA, and was due to be brought before magistrates later on Sunday.
The background and motive for the attack remain under investigation, the Bavarian Police said. It is not known whether the two were known to each other, or what the woman was doing in Bavaria, DPA also reported. Police have appealed for anyone who witnessed ‘an argument or physical altercation’ at the station late on Saturday or early on Sunday to come forward.
Station staff in shock after attack
ABC News reported that Deutsche Bahn said its security personnel, who were at the crime scene together with federal police, were still in shock and would need time to process the stabbing. The statement underlines the severity of the incident at one of southern Germany’s busiest rail interchanges.
Rosenheim is one of the largest cities in Upper Bavaria and serves as a major rail hub for passengers travelling to Austrian cities including Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck. The station handles a high volume of cross-border traffic, particularly during the summer and autumn periods.
The attack occurred during the Rosenheimer Herbstfest, an event similar to the Oktoberfest beer festival, which is currently taking place in the area. The presence of the festival brings increased visitor numbers to the city and its transport links at this time of year.
Foreign Office confirms support for family
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it was in contact with local authorities. A spokesperson told the BBC: ‘We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Germany [and] are in touch with the local authorities.’
The British woman stabbed at Rosenheim has not been publicly named. No further details about her identity or her reasons for being in the region have been released.
The Bavarian Police investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information has been asked to contact police directly.
