Case type
Knife threats in Germany
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
- 2025
- 2026
Show data table
| Month | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| January | 79 | 82 |
| February | 69 | 68 |
| March | 84 | 74 |
| April | 74 | 55 |
| May | 88 | 61 |
| June | 67 | 51 |
| July | 75 | 62 |
| August | 75 | 66 |
| September | 65 | — |
| October | 54 | — |
| November | 55 | — |
| December | 29 | — |
Federal-state comparison
-
North Rhine-Westphalia
- Population
- 17,999,392
- Cases of this type
- 257
- Per 100,000 residents
- 1.43
- Share within the state
- 18.8 %
-
Baden-Württemberg
- Population
- 11,245,909
- Cases of this type
- 242
- Per 100,000 residents
- 2.15
- Share within the state
- 30.3 %
-
Bavaria
- Population
- 13,260,815
- Cases of this type
- 194
- Per 100,000 residents
- 1.46
- Share within the state
- 30.8 %
-
Hesse
- Population
- 6,281,600
- Cases of this type
- 165
- Per 100,000 residents
- 2.63
- Share within the state
- 27.2 %
-
Lower Saxony
- Population
- 8,002,922
- Cases of this type
- 98
- Per 100,000 residents
- 1.22
- Share within the state
- 20.7 %
-
Rhineland-Palatinate
- Population
- 4,124,910
- Cases of this type
- 82
- Per 100,000 residents
- 1.99
- Share within the state
- 30.1 %
-
Saxony
- Population
- 4,024,188
- Cases of this type
- 65
- Per 100,000 residents
- 1.62
- Share within the state
- 28.5 %
-
Thuringia
- Population
- 2,081,288
- Cases of this type
- 58
- Per 100,000 residents
- 2.79
- Share within the state
- 39.7 %
-
Saxony-Anhalt
- Population
- 2,121,638
- Cases of this type
- 46
- Per 100,000 residents
- 2.17
- Share within the state
- 33.8 %
-
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Population
- 1,567,290
- Cases of this type
- 30
- Per 100,000 residents
- 1.91
- Share within the state
- 31.6 %
-
Schleswig-Holstein
- Population
- 2,959,859
- Cases of this type
- 28
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.95
- Share within the state
- 17.4 %
-
Bremen
- Population
- 706,901
- Cases of this type
- 23
- Per 100,000 residents
- 3.25
- Share within the state
- 18.3 %
-
Berlin
- Population
- 3,701,307
- Cases of this type
- 18
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.49
- Share within the state
- 14.9 %
-
Brandenburg
- Population
- 2,552,851
- Cases of this type
- 14
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.55
- Share within the state
- 60.9 %
-
Saarland
- Population
- 1,008,047
- Cases of this type
- 8
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.79
- Share within the state
- 33.3 %
-
Hamburg
- Population
- 1,869,801
- Cases of this type
- 5
- Per 100,000 residents
- 0.27
- Share within the state
- 5.4 %
Comparison of published cases; not a statement of personal risk or the complete crime situation.
Reported injury outcomes
- No injury187
- Injured, severity not known139
- Minor injury216
- Serious injury15
- Life-threatening injury4
- Fatal outcome5
- Mixed injury outcomes11
- Not known755
1333 results
Latest cases
- Knife threat
Man threatens employee with knife at Dresden immigration office
A man is alleged to have threatened an employee with a knife at Dresden's immigration office. Security staff intervened and police arrested him.
- Knife threat
Shop owner threatened with pocketknife in Chemnitz
A man allegedly threatened a shop owner in Chemnitz with a pocketknife after smashing a shop window. Police seized the knife.
- Knife threat
Man threatened with knife and slightly injured in Burkhardtsdorf
A 55-year-old man is alleged to have threatened the 57-year-old owner of a motorhome with a knife during a scuffle in Burkhardtsdorf. The owner sustained a minor cut.
- Knife threat
Man threatened with knife in Aidenbach
A 22-year-old man allegedly threatened an acquaintance with a knife in Aidenbach. Police provisionally detained him and seized the suspected weapon.
- Knife threat
Knife displayed during traffic dispute in Offenbach
During a traffic dispute in Offenbach, a driver allegedly displayed a knife from her moving car to another motorist.
- Knife threat
Man threatens three people with pocketknife in Malchow
A man is alleged to have threatened three young adults with an open pocketknife in a Malchow car park. Police seized the knife and opened an investigation.
- Knife threat
Threat with folding knife on regional train near Waiblingen
A 21-year-old man is alleged to have threatened a train attendant after a stop in Waiblingen and reached for a folding knife. Passengers and train staff restrained him until he was handed over to federal police.
- Knife threat
Store detective threatened as suspect tried to draw knife in Haldensleben
After a shoplifting incident in Haldensleben, a man allegedly tried to draw a knife during a confrontation. A witness prevented him from doing so.
- Knife threat
Masked man threatens woman in Zülpich with kitchen knife
A masked man is alleged to have threatened a woman with a kitchen knife at the market square in Zülpich. The woman was uninjured and the suspect fled.
- Knife threat
Man threatens teenager with kitchen knife in Ahlen
A man allegedly threatened a teenager with a kitchen knife in Ahlen after the teenager tried to help a woman.
- Knife threat
Man threatens bar employee in Memmingen with pocketknife
A guest allegedly threatened an employee with a pocketknife after an argument outside a bar in Memmingen. The employee then slightly injured the guest with animal repellent spray.
- Knife threat
Man threatens police officers with knives in Ludwigsburg
A 24-year-old man threatened emergency officers at a Ludwigsburg residential facility with two knives and a crowbar.
- Knife threat
Knife threat after dispute in central Lübeck
Following a dispute in central Lübeck, a man allegedly drew a knife and threatened the other man. Police seized a neck knife.
- Knife threat
Man threatens two passers-by with folding knife in Kempten
A man allegedly followed and threatened two passers-by in Kempten with a folding knife. Police later located him and seized the knife.
- Knife threat
Man threatens neighbours during balcony dispute in Illertissen
During a dispute over a balcony in Illertissen, a 57-year-old man threatened its owners and damaged a tarpaulin with a knife.
- Knife threat
Shoplifter threatens employee with knife in Recklinghausen
A man allegedly threatened a supermarket employee in Recklinghausen with a knife after she confronted him about suspected shoplifting. He was arrested the following day and is in pre-trial detention.
- Knife threat
Man threatens bar patron with utility knife in Uhldingen-Mühlhofen
Following an argument outside a bar in Uhldingen-Mühlhofen, a man allegedly threatened a 24-year-old with a utility knife. He is also suspected of driving while intoxicated afterwards.
- Knife threat
Man threatens two police officers with knives in Waren
A man threatened two police officers with two knives in a stairwell in Waren. Officers later restrained him and nobody was injured.
- Knife threat
Passenger threatens Uber driver with folding knife in Offenbach
Following an unpaid Uber ride in Offenbach, a passenger allegedly threatened the driver with a folding knife before fleeing.
- Knife threat
Neighbour allegedly threatened four residents in Landstuhl with knife
A man allegedly entered his neighbours' apartment in Landstuhl holding a knife and threatened four residents.