MesserMonitor statistics place published knife attacks, knife threats, robbery and extortion involving a knife in their regional and temporal context. The federal-state comparison shows case counts and cases per 100,000 residents. Further analysis shows absolute case numbers by period, case type, level of use and reported injury outcome.
Comparison year2026
Federal states compared · 2026
Cases through October 24, 2026
Comparison of published cases by federal state with population, immigration history and people seeking protection.
Population Immigration history People seeking protectionMesserMonitor cases
Baden-Württemberg
11,245,909 Population
13.47 %32.06 %3.40 %
360 Cases · 3.20 Cases per 100,000 residents
Bavaria
13,260,815 Population
15.88 %26.18 %2.98 %
322 Cases · 2.43 Cases per 100,000 residents
Berlin
3,701,307 Population
4.43 %35.45 %5.21 %
132 Cases · 3.57 Cases per 100,000 residents
Brandenburg
2,552,851 Population
3.06 %10.07 %2.96 %
73 Cases · 2.86 Cases per 100,000 residents
Bremen
706,901 Population
0.85 %40.03 %6.62 %
59 Cases · 8.35 Cases per 100,000 residents
Hamburg
1,869,801 Population
2.24 %35.51 %4.12 %
53 Cases · 2.83 Cases per 100,000 residents
Hesse
6,281,600 Population
7.52 %33.51 %4.42 %
304 Cases · 4.84 Cases per 100,000 residents
Lower Saxony
8,002,922 Population
9.58 %22.62 %4.24 %
197 Cases · 2.46 Cases per 100,000 residents
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
1,567,290 Population
1.88 %8.61 %3.34 %
33 Cases · 2.11 Cases per 100,000 residents
North Rhine-Westphalia
17,999,392 Population
21.55 %30.14 %4.40 %
613 Cases · 3.41 Cases per 100,000 residents
Rhineland-Palatinate
4,124,910 Population
4.94 %25.87 %3.51 %
112 Cases · 2.72 Cases per 100,000 residents
Saarland
1,008,047 Population
1.21 %24.11 %5.35 %
9 Cases · 0.89 Cases per 100,000 residents
Saxony
4,024,188 Population
4.82 %10.49 %3.41 %
113 Cases · 2.81 Cases per 100,000 residents
Saxony-Anhalt
2,121,638 Population
2.54 %9.95 %3.69 %
78 Cases · 3.68 Cases per 100,000 residents
Schleswig-Holstein
2,959,859 Population
3.54 %19.29 %4.03 %
68 Cases · 2.30 Cases per 100,000 residents
Thuringia
2,081,288 Population
2.49 %10.19 %3.49 %
57 Cases · 2.74 Cases per 100,000 residents
Analysis and result
The figures are based on publicly reported cases found through the evaluated sources.
Social context
Each point represents a federal state. Its position connects the selected social indicator with published cases per 100,000 residents.
Area statesCity states
Result for the selected indicatorData table and sources
A man armed with a knife allegedly threatened a cashier in Cologne and took cash from a supermarket till. He was arrested and is in pre-trial detention.
A man is alleged to have injured another man with a knife in central Chemnitz. An earlier attempted attack on a second man reportedly failed, and the suspect fled.
A group attacked a 35-year-old man in Leipzig, leaving him seriously injured and requiring hospital treatment. The attackers, who fled, were reportedly carrying knife-like objects.
A teenager allegedly threatened a petrol station employee in Karlsruhe with a knife and demanded cash. Police provisionally detained him after he fled.
A woman is alleged to have attacked guests and employees with a knife at a fast-food restaurant in Roth. One employee suffered a cut injury, and a detention order was issued against the woman.
Police are investigating four suspects after a suspected attempted robbery at Halberstadt's Fischmarkt. A witness reported that one victim may have sustained a chin injury caused by a knife.
A man waved a machete in front of several people at a stop in Dresden-Prohlis and used irritant spray. Three people were injured and the perpetrator fled.
