ARD series Breitscheidplatz 19/12 examines Berlin terror attack

The new ARD drama series ‘Breitscheidplatz 19/12’ premiered at the 2026 FilmFest Hamburg, detailing the events leading up to the 2016 truck attack on the Berlin Breitscheidplatz Christmas market. The series explores how a chain of failures and friction between German security agencies enabled the terrorist act.

On December 19, 2016, Islamist terrorist Anis Amri drove a heavy goods vehicle into a crowd, killing twelve people that evening and one person later, while injuring 70 others. Amri was killed days later during a shootout in Italy. The production aims to illustrate the complex circumstances surrounding the attack, though producer Simon Amberger noted that some open questions regarding the incident may never be fully answered.