As of: February 19, 2024, 6:30 a.m
By: Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
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Elisabeth Jänchen lives next to the old railway guard's house - she is reminded every day of the train accident on February 14, 2022 when she looks out from the balcony.
© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
Two years after the train accident in Ebenhausen, the investigation in court begins: On February 14, 2022, two S7 S-Bahn trains collided with each other.
Schäftlarn
– February 14, 2022 will not be forgotten in the community of Schäftlarn.
On this Valentine's Day two years ago, two S7 trains collided on the single-track route between Ebenhausen and Hohenschäftlarn.
A 24-year-old Afghan lost his life in the collision.
Another 51 passengers were injured, some seriously.
A trial is now beginning at the Munich District Court against one of the two railcar drivers for negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and intentionally endangering rail traffic.
The defendant is said to have ignored an emergency brake on the train.
“Of course I will follow the process,” says Ines Lobenstein from the Wolfratshausen Asylum Helpers District.
She had known the victim of the accident.
At the time, the young man was living in a shared asylum accommodation in Wolfratshausen and wanted to get his secondary school leaving certificate.
“It still affects you.”
What Lobenstein does not understand, however, is that “the family of the person killed has not yet received any kind of compensation for the suffering they suffered.
This can not be it."
Fire Chief Daniel Buck remembers
One person who was immediately on site shortly after the first alarm was given is Daniel Buck, commander of the Hohenschäftlarn volunteer fire department.
“It was an operation that cannot be compared to anything and that cannot be trained,” he says, also with regard to the stressful images that the emergency services saw.
As soon as he could, on the day of the accident, Buck sat down with the volunteers from his defense force to discuss what he had experienced.
A day later, a member of the Psychosocial Emergency Care (PSNV) joined us to prevent any possible consequences of stress.
According to Buck, the fire brigade members found the ecumenical service in St. Benedikt held a few days after the accident to be “very helpful”.
Numerous volunteers who were deployed on site filled the church pews alongside locals and political representatives.
“Fear must not take over,” emphasized Pastor Elke Soellner in her speech.
Together with her Catholic colleague Pastor Stefan Scheifele, she tried to provide consolation.
Comfort in a situation “that you could never imagine”.
The day after the accident: clean-up and investigation work at the accident site.
© Thomas Gaulke
“Of course people still talk about the mission today,” says Buck.
“But now the feeling of having helped prevails.
It could have been even worse if the trains had been full.”
Elisabeth Jänchen looks at the scene of the accident every day
Elisabeth Jänchen is reminded of the train accident every day.
Your house is right next to the scene of the accident.
She arrived home shortly after the two trains collided.
“Everything was full of emergency vehicles, helicopters were circling above us,” says Jänchen, describing the situation at the time.
Instead of enjoying a Valentine's Day meal with her husband Heinz, she handed out blankets, provided chairs and drinks.
For three days the couple had seen the sight of the railcars wedged together.
“All I have to do is go out onto the balcony and I can see everything in front of me again,” is how she describes her feelings.
“I often think about what could have happened.
For example, if a wagon had ended up in the garden where children were playing.”
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And: “The property has not been restored to this day.
“It looks basically the same as it did back then after the operation was over and the wreckage was removed.” She points to the area around the former signalman’s house.
The fence at the turning point has still not been put back up, nor has the one directly at the tracks.
The accident site is still unsecured to this day - the fence on the tracks has not been replaced.
© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
Jänchen used to be a train passenger for years.
“Yes, I'm using it again today, but I'll never sit at the front of a wagon again, but rather in the middle.
But it took a long time.”
Mayor is following the process
A point that is absolutely understandable for Schäftlarn's mayor Christian Fürst.
“The memory will of course have an even more intense effect on everyone who was on the train.” He believes that the tragic accident is always present not only for him, but also for many community citizens.
“When I drive past the scene of the accident on the B11, I keep thinking about it,” says the mayor.
However, Fürst also feels gratitude.
“It could have been much, much worse.” He will also follow the press coverage of the trial.