Germany news: Easter Sunday marked with Masses, peace demos

## Summary
https://p.dw.com/p/5BcAu Peace marches are held every year over Easter weekend Image: Michael Kuenne/PRESSCOV/ZUMA/picture alliance Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Christians across Germany are celebrating Easter Sunday Traditional annual peace marches punctuated by the Iran war are also being held across the country Geopolitical conflicts are prompting Germans to change their travel plans German men require military permit to leave country longer than 3 months Economist with the government's ear recommends temporary autobahn speed limits Fuel prices are veering into record territory amid the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz Rescuers monitor stranded and ailing humpback whale 'Timmy' in Baltic Sea Welcome to our roundup of headlines from and about Germany on the Easter weekend: Skip next section Train union boss calls for rebates, state price cuts in face of high fuel prices 04/05/2026 April 5, 2026 Train union boss calls for rebates, state price cuts in face of high fuel prices A union boss wants to see a cut in train ticket prices as fuel prices spike Image: Arnulf Hettrich/imageBROKER/picture alliance German railway and transport union (EVG) boss Martin Burkert told the German mass-market weekly Bild am Sonntag that the federal government should step in to support rail travel in light of the huge fuel price spikes Germans face as a result of global conflicts, especially the war in the Middle East. Riot police had to intervene and the game was halted for 20 minutes Image: Sebastian Kahnert/dpa/picture alliance https://p.dw.com/p/5BgvD Skip next section IN DEPTH — Easter peace marches in shadow of war Published 04/03/2026 Published April 3, 2026 last updated 04/05/2026 last updated April 5, 2026 IN DEPTH — Easter peace marches in shadow of war Peace activists marched in Berlin on Saturday Image: Michael Kuenne/PRESSCOV/Sipa USA/picture alliance More than 100 peace marches and related events have been planned around Germany over the course of the Easter weekend. Read the full story here . https://p.dw.com/p/5Bd7f Skip next section Berlin remembers victims of Berlin disco bombing on 40th anniversary of attack 04/05/2026 April 5, 2026 Berlin remembers victims of Berlin disco bombing on 40th anniversary of attack The perpetrators of the attack weren't identified until after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when investigators gained access to East German secret police files [FILE: April 1986] Image: Elke Bruhn-Hofmann/AP Photo/picture alliance In Berlin, residents and officials are commemorating the 40th anniversary of one of the worst international terror attacks ever to target Germany. Thanks for reading! https://p.dw.com/p/5Bfrk Skip next section Thousands join Easter peace marches across Germany 04/04/2026 April 4, 2026 Thousands join Easter peace marches across Germany The protests targeted multiple violent conflicts around the world, as well as an increasing militarization in Germany Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev/Anadolu/picture alliance Several thousand people took part in the traditional Easter peace marches across Germany on Saturday.

## Article Content
https://p.dw.com/p/5BcAu
Peace marches are held every year over Easter weekend
Image: Michael Kuenne/PRESSCOV/ZUMA/picture alliance
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Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
Christians across Germany are celebrating Easter Sunday
Traditional annual peace marches punctuated by the
Iran war
are also being held across the country
Geopolitical conflicts are prompting Germans to change their travel plans
German men require military permit to leave country longer than 3 months
Economist with the government's ear recommends temporary autobahn speed limits
Fuel prices are veering into record territory amid the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz
Rescuers monitor stranded and ailing humpback whale 'Timmy' in Baltic Sea
Welcome to our roundup of headlines from and about
Germany
on the Easter weekend:
Skip next section Train union boss calls for rebates, state price cuts in face of high fuel prices
04/05/2026
April 5, 2026
Train union boss calls for rebates, state price cuts in face of high fuel prices
A union boss wants to see a cut in train ticket prices as fuel prices spike
Image: Arnulf Hettrich/imageBROKER/picture alliance
German railway and transport union (EVG) boss Martin Burkert told the German mass-market weekly
Bild am Sonntag
that the federal government should step in to support rail travel in light of the huge fuel price spikes Germans face as a result of global conflicts, especially the war in the Middle East.
Burkert called for Berlin to initiate a federal price cut for long-distance train and public transport fares.
The union boss told Bild that a "limited-time 30% rebate on Germany Tickets and up to 50% cuts to long-distance fares would provide fast and effective relief."
"Policymakers need to
impose a windfall tax
and make use of state-owned Deutsche Bahn rather than letting oil companies keep leading them around by the nose," Burkert added.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BiSU
Skip next section 22-year-old shot dead fleeing police in car
04/05/2026
April 5, 2026
22-year-old shot dead fleeing police in car
Prosecutors in the southwestern German city of Saarbrücken say police there shot a 22-year-old man dead early Sunday when he attempted to outrun them in his car.
Two other men, aged 23 and 19, were in the car at the time of the incident.
Prosecutors say the 19-year-old backseat passenger was injured during a chase that unfolded when the driver sought to evade a police check northeast of the city around 1:00 a.m. local time (2300 Saturday UTC/GMT).
Prosecutors say a female officer was injured during the driver's attempt to escape after he maneuvered himself into a dead-end street.
Officers reportedly shot the driver dead as he was trying to wheel around the cul-de-sac, bringing the vehicle to a stop.
Multiple police officers were deployed to the area and an investigation is underway.
Andreas Rinnert, chairman of GdP police union, said, "It is always tragic when someone is killed during a police operation. In that context, we expressly call for calm and ask that people refrain from making premature assumptions or assigning blame, both in person and online."
"We all have the greatest possible interest in transparently investigating this incident," said Rinnert, "devoid of hate, vitriol and predetermined guilt."
The state of Saarland, where Saarbrücken is located, closely regulates
police use of firearms
, saying they may only be discharged against people "to render them incapable of attack or escape, provided that this objective cannot be achieved by using firearms against property."
A potentially lethal shot is only permissible if it is the last means of averting an immediate threat to life or serious injury.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Bi42
Skip next section Three killed by falling tree in northern Germany Easter egg hunt
04/05/2026
April 5, 2026
Three killed by falling tree in northern Germany Easter egg hunt
Police say at least three people were killed on Sunday when a tree fell on them while they were hunting for Easter eggs.
Police said a 21-year-old mother and her 10-month-old child were among the dead as well as 16-year-old girl. An 18-year-old woman was flown to a hospital in serious condition and other people were injured.
The accident reportedly occurred in a wooded area in Satrupholm, outside the northern German city of Flensburg, around 11 a.m. local time (0900 GMT).
A group of about 50 people had gathered for the Easter egg hunt.
Police say the victims were killed when high winds sent a 30-meter (98-foot) tall tree crashing down upon them.
Others in the party were injured.
Germany's DWD weather service had previously issued high-wind warnings for the area, forecasting sustained winds of between 55 and 65 kph (34-40 mph) and gusts of up to 80 kph (50 mph) across the state of Schleswig-Holstein.
https://p.dw.com/p/5BhYR
Skip next section Police open probe after clashing fans invade pitch during Dynamo-Hertha match
04/05/2026
April 5, 2026
Police open probe after clashing fans in

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- The union boss told Bild that a "limited-time 30% rebate on Germany Tickets and up to 50% cuts to long-distance fares would provide fast and effective relief." "Policymakers need to impose a windfall tax and make use of state-owned Deutsche Bahn rather than letting oil companies keep leading them around by the nose," Burkert added. https://p.dw.com/p/5BiSU Skip next section 22-year-old shot dead fleeing police in car 04/05/2026 April 5, 2026 22-year-old shot dead fleeing police in car Prosecutors in the southwestern German city of Saarbrücken say police there shot a 22-year-old man dead early Sunday when he attempted to outrun them in his car.
- The weekend has always had a strong geopolitical flavor, whether it was during the threat of nuclear war in the Cold War, or this year in the shadow of war in Ukraine, Iran, the Middle East, Sudan and beyond.
- The organizers spoke of a higher participation of young people thanks to the topic of conscription, which has already triggered repeated protests and school walk-outs. "It is important that so many people are taking to the streets for peace," Kristian Golla of the Network said. "In almost 40 years of Easter peace marches, I have never experienced an Easter that was so full of crises around the world." The peace marches began in Germany in the 60s to protest nuclear weapons, but they have grown to encompass a myriad of different peace movements Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev/Anadolu/picture alliance https://p.dw.com/p/5BfpM Skip next section AfD is Germany's strongest party nationwide in the poll 04/04/2026 April 4, 2026 AfD is Germany's strongest party nationwide in the poll Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany , or AfD, is now the strongest political force in the country, a new survey showed.
- But there have been significant price jumps at gas stations since then.

### Areas for Consideration
- In that context, we expressly call for calm and ask that people refrain from making premature assumptions or assigning blame, both in person and online." "We all have the greatest possible interest in transparently investigating this incident," said Rinnert, "devoid of hate, vitriol and predetermined guilt." The state of Saarland, where Saarbrücken is located, closely regulates police use of firearms , saying they may only be discharged against people "to render them incapable of attack or escape, provided that this objective cannot be achieved by using firearms against property." A potentially lethal shot is only permissible if it is the last means of averting an immediate threat to life or serious injury. https://p.dw.com/p/5Bi42 Skip next section Three killed by falling tree in northern Germany Easter egg hunt 04/05/2026 April 5, 2026 Three killed by falling tree in northern Germany Easter egg hunt Police say at least three people were killed on Sunday when a tree fell on them while they were hunting for Easter eggs.
- It was unclear if both sets of fans were being investigated.
- The weekend has always had a strong geopolitical flavor, whether it was during the threat of nuclear war in the Cold War, or this year in the shadow of war in Ukraine, Iran, the Middle East, Sudan and beyond.

### Implications
- https://p.dw.com/p/5BcAu Peace marches are held every year over Easter weekend Image: Michael Kuenne/PRESSCOV/ZUMA/picture alliance Advertisement Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Christians across Germany are celebrating Easter Sunday Traditional annual peace marches punctuated by the Iran war are also being held across the country Geopolitical conflicts are prompting Germans to change their travel plans German men require military permit to leave country longer than 3 months Economist with the government's ear recommends temporary autobahn speed limits Fuel prices are veering into record territory amid the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz Rescuers monitor stranded and ailing humpback whale 'Timmy' in Baltic Sea Welcome to our roundup of headlines from and about Germany on the Easter weekend: Skip next section Train union boss calls for rebates, state price cuts in face of high fuel prices 04/05/2026 April 5, 2026 Train union boss calls for rebates, state price cuts in face of high fuel prices A union boss wants to see a cut in train ticket prices as fuel prices spike Image: Arnulf Hettrich/imageBROKER/picture alliance German railway and transport union (EVG) boss Martin Burkert told the German mass-market weekly Bild am Sonntag that the federal government should step in to support rail travel in light of the huge fuel price spikes Germans face as a result of global conflicts, especially the war in the Middle East.
- In that context, we expressly call for calm and ask that people refrain from making premature assumptions or assigning blame, both in person and online." "We all have the greatest possible interest in transparently investigating this incident," said Rinnert, "devoid of hate, vitriol and predetermined guilt." The state of Saarland, where Saarbrücken is located, closely regulates police use of firearms , saying they may only be discharged against people "to render them incapable of attack or escape, provided that this objective cannot be achieved by using firearms against property." A potentially lethal shot is only permissible if it is the last means of averting an immediate threat to life or serious injury. https://p.dw.com/p/5Bi42 Skip next section Three killed by falling tree in northern Germany Easter egg hunt 04/05/2026 April 5, 2026 Three killed by falling tree in northern Germany Easter egg hunt Police say at least three people were killed on Sunday when a tree fell on them while they were hunting for Easter eggs.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers germany, easter, police topics. Notable strengths include discussion of germany. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 2390.