The mayor-elect of Herdecke, Germany, Iris Stalzer, clings to life after a brutal stabbing attack at her home, sustaining up to 13 wounds to her stomach and back.

Authorities airlifted her to Knappschaft University Hospital in Bochum, where she remains in critical condition.

Police detained her adopted 15-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter for questioning, raising suspicions of domestic involvement in the grisly assault.

Emergency services responded at 12:40 p.m. after the teenagers reported the incident, according to Bild.

Her son claims Stalzer was attacked by "several men" outside their apartment, but no witnesses have corroborated this account.

Officers took him into custody in handcuffs, clad in an evidence-preserving suit, while investigators probe possible family tensions.

Der Spiegel reported the daughter’s involvement in a prior domestic violence incident this summer, where she allegedly attacked Stalzer with a knife.

Police and prosecutors issued a joint statement, noting, "Close family involvement cannot be ruled out at the present time."

A homicide squad from Hagen has taken over, with forensic teams scouring the sealed-off crime scene in Herdecke, a town of 23,000 in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Authorities launched a manhunt, though the motive remains unclear.

“The motive for the crime is completely unclear; we are investigating all avenues,” police spokesman Tino Schäfer said.

Stalzer, a Social Democratic Party member, won the mayoral election on September 28 with 52.2 percent of the vote, defeating Christian Democrat Fabian Haas.

She was set to assume office on November 1.

Her Instagram post celebrating the victory now overflows with recovery wishes.

"Disgusting act. A speedy recovery," one commenter wrote.

"I pray for your health," another added.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack: "We have received news of a terrible deed in Herdecke. It must be swiftly investigated. We fear for the life of the mayor-designate and hope for her full recovery."

SPD parliamentary leader Matthias Miersch echoed the sentiment: "We hope that she survives this terrible act. We can’t say anything at the moment about the background."

The attack evokes memories of the 2019 murder of Walter Lübcke, a conservative official gunned down by a far-right extremist for supporting Angela Merkel’s refugee policies.

A study revealed 60 percent of German politicians have faced violence, with 20 percent growing wary of public appearances.

Herdecke’s administration expressed shock.

"The media reports about the police operation at Iris Stalzer’s home have caused shock and dismay among the city administration. I sincerely wish Ms. Stalzer a speedy recovery," First Deputy Mayor Dennis Osberg stated.

Haas, Stalzer’s electoral rival, added: “My thoughts are with her and her family."

Stalzer, a lawyer specializing in employment law, has lived in Herdecke nearly her entire life and served on its city council.

Police urge the public to provide information as the investigation intensifies.

This savage attack on Iris Stalzer lays bare a chilling reality: no one, not even a small-town mayor-elect, is safe from the specter of violence haunting Germany’s political landscape.