A Temporary Court Rises for the Magdeburg Trial
Temporary courthouse setup for the Magdeburg bombing trial trial proceedings - Emergency Structures Deployed for Magdeburg Response Process
Get ready for the showdown! Next week, construction on the temporary court building begins where the trial against the Christmas market attacker will take place. Located on a state-owned plot, this structure will be built using lightweight construction, as announced by the Magdeburg Ministry of Justice. Be ready for one of the biggest post-war trials in German history. On December 20, a car rampage through the market claimed six lives and more than 300 injuries.
No One Turned Away
According to Saxony-Anhalt's Minister of Justice, Franziska Weidinger, our local courts lack proper halls for this high-profile case. As a result, the decision has been made to construct a winter-proof, storm-proof, and hail-proof temporary court building. This ensures ample space for all parties involved in the trial, particularly the victims. Weidinger stresses that everyone entitled to participate in the trial should not be denied access. The trial's starting date is still undecided, with the initial indictment expected in the summer.
Spacious 2,000 Square Meter Courtroom
The building is expected to have a gross floor area of around 4,500 to 5,000 square meters, with the courtroom planned at approximately 2,000 square meters. There will also be waiting and consultation rooms, allowing the building to accommodate roughly 700 people. A commissioned company will construct the building, which will be dismantled post-trial. The company will also provide complete equipment, including technological necessities. They've previously constructed a temporary court building for the "Reichsbürger" trial involving Heinrich XIII. Prince Reuß in Frankfurt am Main.
Prioritizing Victims and Witnesses
Minister Weidinger emphasized that victims are at the heart of the matter. The building will be designed to provide separate areas and paths for witnesses and victims, ensuring that they don't cross paths. To make it easier for many witnesses to testify and prevent re-traumatization, there will be options for separate questioning.
Single-Digit Million Price Tag
The Ministry of Justice estimates the construction costs to be a single-digit million amount. Weidinger acknowledges that the financial and logistical effort is significant but justifies it by stating that it's a large trial with numerous participants. The attack left a lasting impact on many lives, causing injury and even death. "We aren't going to exclude anyone," Weidinger asserts, "this large space provides an opportunity for everyone to participate."
While it might not be the largest trial in German post-war history based on traditional metrics, the Magdeburg Christmas market attack has become a significant event both socially and legally. The attack has led to increases in racist and right-wing violence in Magdeburg, with migrant communities reporting a 70% increase in attacks since the incident.
A recent trend of large-scale trials in Germany involves using temporary court buildings for exceptional cases. In comparison to other major post-war trials, the Magdeburg case stands unique with its focus on a single defendant, though the case's impact on society and the victims may justifiably demand a temporary court solution.
- In light of the Magdeburg Christmas market attack trial, the need for specialized community policy regarding vocational training for victims and witnesses in war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice situations may arise, considering the potential for re-traumatization and subsequent need for special accommodations.
- Amidst the urgent construction of the temporary court building for the Magdeburg trial, specialists in the fields of war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice may find it useful to analyze the effectiveness of using such structures in addressing large-scale trials, particularly those that have significant social and legal implications.
