Tuesday, February 4
Police operation rescues five lifelike human dolls from Landwehrkanal
The first emergency calls came in around 7:30 on Monday morning. Five lifeless bodies, fully clothed, were floating facedown in the Landwehrkanal. Panicked locals near the Lohmühlen Bridge feared they were witnessing the aftermath of a tragic accident—or perhaps a crime. But it in fact turned out to be something else entirely: a prank. The “bodies” were dolls, dressed in hooded jackets and trousers, apparently tossed into the canal as part of some stunt. The perpetrators of this watery spectacle remain unknown.
The shocking sight was convincing enough to trigger a major police response. Four patrol cars raced to the scene, accompanied by a water police boat. Even the officers were reportedly alarmed at first glance. It wasn’t until a closer inspection that the all-clear was given: these were, in fact, just lifeless dummies.
Photos published by B.Z. show the dolls bobbing around in the water, as well as one sprawled dramatically on the deck of the water police boat. Police spokesperson Susanne Barahona Muñoz confirmed that the authorities have no leads on who orchestrated the stunt—or whether it was intended as some kind of political statement. “According to our information, no one has yet claimed responsibility,” she said.
