German Christmas markets face higher security costs

The final barriers are being set up at Bonn’s Christmas market. Concrete blocks now seal off the streets in the western German city leading into the central square, where visitors are already enjoying mulled wine and gingerbread hearts.

Market manager Kathrin Krumbach is making her way through the crowd, checking security measures for which she’s also responsible.

While speaking with DW, she points to a rubber mat that covers electrical cables running across the pathway.

“You might not even notice, [but] that’s part of the security concept too,” she says, adding that the mat is meant to smooth the bump so no one trips, and wheelchair users can “exit quickly without obstacles in an emergency.”

Read more: Deutsche Welle