Survey: Germans worried about security, prices at Christmas markets

Christmas markets are an annual source of merriment for millions of Germans, but many are concerned about security and high prices, a dpa survey revealed on Sunday.

The study, carried out by opinion research institute YouGov, found that 22% of respondents are "very" worried about attacks on Christmas markets after deadly incidents in recent years.

Another 40% said they were "somewhat" concerned, while 35% said they were not.

Cities and operators are taking extensive measures to protect their Christmas markets, with barriers on access roads to stop vehicles and a ban on knives in place nationwide since 2024.

Security is being heightened after six people were killed in a car-ramming attack in the eastern city of Magdeburg last December, several years after 13 people died in an Islamist attack on a Berlin market in 2016.

Germans are divided on whether the reinforced security measures are sufficient, with 41% of respondents believing so and 37% answering no.

Overall, 59% of Germans said they plan to visit a Christmas market this year, while 33% said they do not.

The most commonly cited reasons for staying away were high prices for food and drinks (53%), excessive crowds and congestion (50%), a lack of interest (36%) and safety concerns (32%).

The festive season is approaching fast, with many Christmas markets opening well before December.