Suche
Mein Konto
Acquittals after tragic train accident in Garmisch: Does this affect us?
Train accident in Burgrain: Court acquits two railway employees. Five dead, many injured. Judgment and background in focus.
Acquittals after tragic train accident in Garmisch: Does this affect us?
On January 19, 2026, the Munich II Regional Court handed down an eagerly awaited verdict in the case of the tragic train accident in Burgrain near Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Five people died in the accident, which occurred on June 3, 2022, including four women and a 13-year-old boy. 72 other people suffered injuries, some of them very serious. The two accused railway employees, a dispatcher and a district manager, were acquitted.
The court did not see any criminal behavior on the part of the defendants. The presiding judge Thomas Lenz explained that the breach of duty required for a conviction could not be proven. The public prosecutor's office had demanded a suspended sentence of one year for manslaughter for the dispatcher and two years of probation for the district manager, but the court rejected these requests. The broken concrete sleepers that led to the derailment of the regional train were damaged by chemical processes in the concrete, which was not visible from the outside. Therefore, the district manager could not be held responsible for recognizing and reporting poor condition of the sleepers.
The background to the accident
During the trial, which was followed with great public interest, the defense of the two defendants questioned the prosecution. The public prosecutor's office charged her with negligent homicide, dangerous interference with rail traffic and negligent bodily harm. But as the judges found, there was no evidence of breach of duty. The dispatcher had not passed on a warning from a train driver, but no improper behavior could be found. Both men were affected during the trial and apologized to the bereaved and those affected.
The tragedy has deeply affected the region. The presiding judge reported that there was a hopeless situation for the victims and their families and that the charges were refuted in the trial. The enormous consequences of the accident, both human and social, are strongly remembered. According to reports from daily news and Yahoo News Coming to terms with this tragedy remains a challenge for the affected communities.
The court's decision nevertheless raises questions about general safety in rail transport and how such accidents can be prevented in the future. Committed citizens and associations continue to demand a rethinking of security culture. It is clear that when maintaining safety in rail transport, attention can be paid not only to technical defects, but also to the responsibilities and behavior of employees. The call for more transparency and review of existing infrastructures remains loud.