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
A 44-year-old man is accused of threatening a cashier with a pocketknife, demanding money and taking cash from a discount store. Police provisionally detained him.
Two teenagers are accused of robbing a petrol station employee in Hanover. Police say one threatened her with a knife while an accomplice guarded the door.
A 66-year-old man suffered multiple non-life-threatening stab wounds after an altercation near a venue in Plauen. A 58-year-old suspect was identified.
Two masked men allegedly demanded cash while armed with knives at a discount store in Kassel. The saleswoman refused, and the suspects fled without any proceeds.
Three young men are accused of threatening an 18-year-old with a machete, a knife and brass knuckles in Ellwangen. The threatened man used pepper spray.
Three unidentified people allegedly attacked a 41-year-old man at Leinestraße underground station in Berlin-Neukölln, kicked him and inflicted a stab wound.
A man is alleged to have threatened several young men with a knife at a petrol station in Hildburghausen. Those present calmed him down and he then left the station.
A 20-year-old man is alleged to have attacked a 41-year-old man with a stabbing weapon outside an amusement arcade in Wittmund. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries and another man was slightly injured.
Following an argument, a 44-year-old man is alleged to have fatally injured his 39-year-old wife with a knife in Wallersdorf. He was arrested at the scene.
Two men are alleged to have threatened a 29-year-old man in Nürnberg with a knife and pepper spray, robbed him of his phone and forced him to withdraw cash. Three suspects are now in pre-trial detention.
