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 year2025
Federal states compared · 2025
Cases through December 31, 2025
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 %
491 Cases · 4.37 Cases per 100,000 residents
Bavaria
13,260,815 Population
15.88 %26.18 %2.98 %
382 Cases · 2.88 Cases per 100,000 residents
Berlin
3,701,307 Population
4.43 %35.45 %5.21 %
196 Cases · 5.30 Cases per 100,000 residents
Brandenburg
2,552,851 Population
3.06 %10.07 %2.96 %
72 Cases · 2.82 Cases per 100,000 residents
Bremen
706,901 Population
0.85 %40.03 %6.62 %
80 Cases · 11.32 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 %
352 Cases · 5.60 Cases per 100,000 residents
Lower Saxony
8,002,922 Population
9.58 %22.62 %4.24 %
314 Cases · 3.92 Cases per 100,000 residents
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
1,567,290 Population
1.88 %8.61 %3.34 %
69 Cases · 4.40 Cases per 100,000 residents
North Rhine-Westphalia
17,999,392 Population
21.55 %30.14 %4.40 %
847 Cases · 4.71 Cases per 100,000 residents
Rhineland-Palatinate
4,124,910 Population
4.94 %25.87 %3.51 %
172 Cases · 4.17 Cases per 100,000 residents
Saarland
1,008,047 Population
1.21 %24.11 %5.35 %
18 Cases · 1.79 Cases per 100,000 residents
Saxony
4,024,188 Population
4.82 %10.49 %3.41 %
141 Cases · 3.50 Cases per 100,000 residents
Saxony-Anhalt
2,121,638 Population
2.54 %9.95 %3.69 %
79 Cases · 3.72 Cases per 100,000 residents
Schleswig-Holstein
2,959,859 Population
3.54 %19.29 %4.03 %
121 Cases · 4.09 Cases per 100,000 residents
Thuringia
2,081,288 Population
2.49 %10.19 %3.49 %
100 Cases · 4.80 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
After an altercation involving three men at accommodation in Würzburg, two men were taken to hospital with stab and cut injuries. A suspect was arrested.
Two youths were reportedly robbed under threat of a knife at Langenfeld S-Bahn station. Police provisionally detained a minor and a 19-year-old suspect.
Two unknown men allegedly shoved an 18-year-old to the ground, threatened him with a machete and robbed him in Bielefeld. They fled on e-scooters with cash and headphones.
A masked man allegedly threatened a pharmacy employee in Hildesheim with a knife and demanded cash. He fled without money after she refused to hand it over.
Two unknown offenders allegedly threatened five minors with violence and knives at Ludwigshafen Mitte station and forced them to hand over money and valuables.
In Kochel am See, a 53-year-old man is alleged to have killed his 86-year-old mother with a stabbing weapon. Police said he subsequently took his own life.
A man allegedly insulted a 23-year-old passenger on a bus in Berlin-Marzahn and tried to stab him in the eye with a finger. The passenger avoided the attack and the suspect fled.
A minor was seriously injured by a stab wound to the torso during an altercation at Hanau's Hafenplatz. Two minor suspects have been remanded in custody.
A man allegedly attempted to stab a traveller with a machete after an argument at Essen central station. Federal police arrested him, and nobody was injured.
