Case type
Knife threats in Germany 2026
Knife threats in Germany include published cases in which a knife or another object capable of stabbing or cutting was used directly to threaten a person, without a documented attack. The overview shows case numbers, regional distribution and the related individual cases.
Annual comparison for this case type
Data through 2026-09-09
- 2026
Show data table
| Month | 2026 |
|---|---|
| January | 82 |
| February | 68 |
| March | 74 |
| April | 55 |
| May | 61 |
| June | 51 |
| July | 62 |
| August | 66 |
Federal-state comparison
-
Bavaria
- Population
- 13,260,815
- Cases of this type
- 87
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.66
- Share within the state
- 34.4 %
-
Baden-Württemberg
- Population
- 11,245,909
- Cases of this type
- 86
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.76
- Share within the state
- 27.7 %
-
North Rhine-Westphalia
- Population
- 17,999,392
- Cases of this type
- 85
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.47
- Share within the state
- 16.7 %
-
Hesse
- Population
- 6,281,600
- Cases of this type
- 80
- Per 100,000 residents
- 1.27
- Share within the state
- 30.9 %
-
Lower Saxony
- Population
- 8,002,922
- Cases of this type
- 42
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.52
- Share within the state
- 24.1 %
-
Rhineland-Palatinate
- Population
- 4,124,910
- Cases of this type
- 29
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.70
- Share within the state
- 28.4 %
-
Saxony
- Population
- 4,024,188
- Cases of this type
- 25
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.62
- Share within the state
- 28.7 %
-
Saxony-Anhalt
- Population
- 2,121,638
- Cases of this type
- 21
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.99
- Share within the state
- 33.9 %
-
Thuringia
- Population
- 2,081,288
- Cases of this type
- 20
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.96
- Share within the state
- 40.8 %
-
Brandenburg
- Population
- 2,552,851
- Cases of this type
- 14
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.55
- Share within the state
- 63.6 %
-
Berlin
- Population
- 3,701,307
- Cases of this type
- 11
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.30
- Share within the state
- 10.1 %
-
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Population
- 1,567,290
- Cases of this type
- 7
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.45
- Share within the state
- 25.9 %
-
Bremen
- Population
- 706,901
- Cases of this type
- 6
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.85
- Share within the state
- 12.2 %
-
Schleswig-Holstein
- Population
- 2,959,859
- Cases of this type
- 3
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.10
- Share within the state
- 7.1 %
-
Saarland
- Population
- 1,008,047
- Cases of this type
- 2
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.20
- Share within the state
- 28.6 %
-
Hamburg
- Population
- 1,869,801
- Cases of this type
- 1
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.05
- Share within the state
- 2.5 %
Comparison of published cases; not a statement of personal risk or the complete crime situation.
Reported injury outcomes
- No injury47
- Injured, severity not known57
- Minor injury86
- Serious injury5
- Life-threatening injury2
- Fatal outcome2
- Mixed injury outcomes5
- Not known314
519 results
Latest cases
- Knife threat
Man threatens resident with knife in Öhringen
A 22-year-old man allegedly threatened a resident in Öhringen with a knife. Police arrested him and nobody was injured.
- Knife threat
Knife displayed during altercation in Reutlingen
During an altercation in Reutlingen, at least one of three young men is said to have held a knife. A 54-year-old man was lightly injured with a belt.
- Knife threat
Staff member threatened with knife in Lauterecken
A 51-year-old man threatened a staff member with a knife in a medical building in Lauterecken. Police overpowered him and took him to a psychiatric facility.
- Knife threat
Man threatens relatives and police with knives in Rödental
A 44-year-old man threatened relatives with knives and physically attacked them in Rödental. He was subdued by specialist officers following a major police operation.
- Knife threat
Man threatens three minors with knife on bus in Velbert
A 30-year-old man allegedly threatened three children and teenagers with a knife on a bus in Velbert. Police arrested him, and no one was injured.
- Knife threat
Woman allegedly threatened former partner with a knife at Erdweg station
During an escalating dispute at Erdweg station, a 37-year-old woman allegedly threatened her 36-year-old former partner with a knife. She was later provisionally detained.
- Knife threat
Man detained after dispute with kitchen knife in Burgkunstadt
Following a dispute in an apartment building in Burgkunstadt, a man was holding a kitchen knife. Special police forces overpowered him, and police are investigating a threat allegation.
- Knife threat
Man threatens driver with knife in Wuppertal
A man threatened the driver of a radio taxi with a knife in Wuppertal and fled without paying. Police arrested a 19-year-old.
- Knife threat
Employee threatened with knife during shop theft in Hilbersdorf
Following the theft of coffee from a shop in Hilbersdorf, one suspected offender threatened an employee with a knife. The two men fled with part of the stolen goods.
- Knife threat
Man points knife toward police officers in Osnabrück
A man held a knife toward police officers at a bus stop in Osnabrück. Officers subdued him and secured the knife; nobody was injured.
- Knife threat
Man threatens customer with switchblade at Rotenburg supermarket
A man allegedly threatened a customer with a switchblade at a supermarket in Rotenburg (Wümme). Police located him after a search.
- Knife threat
Man allegedly threatened passers-by at Ahlen station square
Witnesses reported that a man threatened passers-by with a kitchen knife at Ahlen station square. Police took him into custody.
- Knife threat
Man threatened with knife in Limburg bar
A 28-year-old man was struck and then threatened with a knife by a second offender at a bar on Limburg's Neumarkt.
- Knife threat
Man threatens travel group with knife at Paderborn station
A 25-year-old man allegedly threatened a group of four travellers with a knife at Paderborn station. Federal police took him into custody.
- Knife threat
Man threatens two passers-by in Wipperfürth with folding knife
At Wipperfürth bus station, a man held a folding knife in front of two passers-by and asked them for money. Police later provisionally detained him.
- Knife threat
Teenagers threatened with knife during confrontation at Bottrop central station
During a prearranged confrontation at Bottrop central station, one person allegedly displayed a knife. Two teenagers sustained minor injuries.
- Knife threat
Knife and imitation sword displayed during dispute in Marl
Following a dispute at a hospitality venue, an altercation between two groups escalated in Marl on Sunday. A folding knife and an imitation sword were among the items displayed.
- Knife threat
Youths threatened with knife in Lindau
Two youths reported that a man threatened them with a knife in Lindau. Police detained a suspect nearby.
- Knife threat
Man threatens several people with knife at Darmstadt main station
A 28-year-old man is alleged to have threatened a 36-year-old man and other witnesses with a knife outside Darmstadt main station. He was arrested and remanded in custody.
- Knife threat
Man threatens security staff in Lüdenscheid with utility knife
A man threatened security staff at a nightclub on Rathausplatz in Lüdenscheid with a utility knife. Police took him into custody.