The city of Aschaffenburg in Germany has announced an artistic competition for the design of a memorial site commemorating the victims of a tragic knife attack in early 2025. The assault in Schöntal park claimed the lives of a man and a young child. The city authorities have allocated 300,000 euros for the realization of the selected project, with a completion deadline set for January 2028.

Competition for Artistic Design

The city of Aschaffenburg has announced an open competition for artists to submit concepts for the memorial site. The decision on the winning project is to be made in autumn of this year.

Completion Deadline and Budget

Work on the realization of the Gedenkort is to be completed by January 22, 2028, at the latest. The City Council has allocated a budget of 300,000 euros for the entire undertaking.

Background of the Tragic Events

The site is to commemorate the victims of a brutal knife attack in Schöntal park, which occurred in early 2025. A man and a small child were killed at that time.

The Aschaffenburg City Council in Bavaria has formally decided to establish a permanent memorial site, a so-called Gedenkort, dedicated to the victims of the tragic 2025 knife attack. The assault, which shook the local community and resonated widely across Germany, took place in the Schöntal city park. The specific form of the memorial is to be selected through an artistic competition open to creators and designers. The winning concept will be chosen in autumn 2026. The municipal authorities have planned a project budget of 300,000 euros. These funds are to be allocated both for the winner's honorarium and for the material costs associated with the realization of the work. The City Council also set a final deadline for the memorial site to be ready for use – it must be completed by January 22, 2028, at the latest. These decisions were made during Monday's city council session, marking the formal start of the process.The tradition of creating memorial sites for victims of contemporary tragedies has a long history in Germany, dating back to the period after World War II. Especially after the country's reunification in 1990, many monuments and artistic installations were created commemorating the victims of Nazism, the division of Germany, but also individual acts of violence, such as the terrorist attacks of the 1970s or 1980s. This process has intensified in recent decades, also encompassing victims of common crimes with particularly high social resonance. All four analyzed news sources report the same key facts, which testifies to their credibility and the consistency of the reports. The attack that is the subject of the memorial was described as a „tödlicher Messerangriff” (deadly knife attack). The victims were an adult man and a small child, most often referred to as a „Kleinkind” (toddler). This tragedy at the time triggered a wave of solidarity and a debate about safety in public spaces. The new memorial site is intended not only to commemorate the deceased but also to become a point of reflection and contemplation for residents. Its location in Schöntal park – the site of the crime – holds particular symbolic significance, in line with the practice of many contemporary memorializations.