Hamburg-Rahlstedt, December 24 – A 68-year-old man was fatally stabbed at his home in Hamburg-Rahlstedt on Tuesday evening, prompting a homicide investigation. A suspect has been apprehended.
Fatal Attack at Neuköllner Ring
According to police reports, the 43-year-old suspect allegedly rang the doorbell of the victim’s residence on Neuköllner Ring and then repeatedly stabbed the 68-year-old man. The victim’s wife attempted to intervene and protect her husband, sustaining minor hand injuries in the process.
Suspect Called Emergency Services
Following the attack, the assailant fled the scene but subsequently called emergency services himself. Paramedics and an emergency doctor attempted to resuscitate the severely injured man inside the apartment, but he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Homicide Commission Investigates
Police swiftly located and arrested the suspect in the vicinity of the crime scene in Rahlstedt. The homicide commission has launched an investigation into the incident. A judge is expected to decide on the suspect’s pre-trial detention.
The motive behind the fatal stabbing remains unclear. Police indicated that the two men were known to each other, albeit superficially.
This incident was broadcast on NDR 90.3’s current affairs program on December 24, 2025, at 13:00.
Additional news from Hamburg includes an appeal for solidarity by Mayor Tschentscher in his Christmas address, an investment of over eight million euros by the Eimsbüttel district in playgrounds and youth activities, and an update on sailors Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink, who are back in Hamburg after a sailing accident and are working on their comeback for the Globe40 race. Other reports covered last-minute Christmas grocery shopping and holiday travel.
The Hamburg fire department recently rescued 13 people from a fire in a multi-family house in Rahlstedt. The fire, which started on the second floor of an apartment in Wildschwanbrook, caused the staircase to fill with smoke, trapping residents on upper floors. A total of 60 firefighters extinguished the flames, and 13 people were checked by emergency services, though only one teenager was taken to the hospital as a precaution due to a pre-existing condition. A tenant reportedly accidentally started the fire while working on a terrarium, managing to escape with his turtle. [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/hamburger-feuerwehr-rettet-13-menschen-nach-brand-in-rahlstedt,kurzehh-1724.html)
In other news, the train line between Hamburg Central Station and Hamburg-Rahlstedt has reopened after urgent track repairs. The line was closed from Tuesday afternoon until the end of service. Regional trains on lines RE 8, RE 80, and RB 81 were affected, and a replacement bus service was implemented, causing travel times to increase by up to an hour. [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/zugstrecke-zwischen-hamburg-hauptbahnhof-und-rahlstedt-unterbrochen,kurzehh-1750.html)
Furthermore, a recent report on Hamburg’s district profiles highlighted that Rahlstedt has the largest population with 95,836 residents as of December 31, 2024. The report also detailed demographic information, social and infrastructure data, household and housing situations, and traffic. For instance, Cranz has only four registered private electric cars, while Othmarschen has nearly 1,400. Fifteen districts lack a dental practice. [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/rahlstedt-hat-die-meisten-einwohner-cranz-die-wenigsten-e-autos,stadtteilprofile-100.html)
Separately, a man was seriously injured in a knife attack on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg’s St. Pauli district. The 46-year-old victim was with his partner when they encountered the woman’s 42-year-old ex-partner. Following a verbal dispute, the ex-partner allegedly stabbed the man in the back. An off-duty paramedic provided first aid, and the victim is now out of danger after emergency surgery. The suspect was arrested shortly after fleeing. [tagesschau.de](https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/hamburg/ndr-mann-bei-messerangriff-in-hamburg-lebensgefaehrlich-verletzt-100.html)
In an unrelated incident, a man was killed after a dispute in a homeless shelter in Hamburg-Billbrook. Emergency services were called around 6:30 AM and found a severely injured resident with multiple stab wounds. Despite resuscitation attempts, the man died at the scene. A 32-year-old suspect was arrested, and the State Criminal Police Office is investigating. [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/toter-nach-streit-in-hamburger-unterkunft-fuer-obdachlose,toter-billbrook-100.html)
Source: [ndr.de](https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/rahlstedt-mann-an-der-wohnungstuer-erstochen,rahlstedt-100.html)
