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 masked young man allegedly threatened a petrol station employee in Cologne with a knife and demanded cash. He fled empty-handed after being told about cameras.
A man threatened an employee with a knife at a petrol station in Euskirchen and demanded the day's takings. Police arrested him and recovered the knife.
A 38-year-old woman is alleged to have attacked a police officer with a knife during her arrest in Mannheim. The officer was not injured because of his protective equipment.
A man allegedly attacked a fellow resident with a knife at accommodation in Wolnzach. The victim fended off the attacks and the suspect was restrained.
A 26-year-old man allegedly threatened police officers with a knife in Stralsund. No one was injured, and the man was provisionally taken into custody.
After a theft at a sports shop in Ronsberg, a man is alleged to have threatened employees with a knife and made stabbing motions. Nobody was injured, and a detention order was issued.
In Cologne-Mülheim, a 43-year-old man is alleged to have injured a 36-year-old man with a knife. The injured man was taken to hospital and the suspect was provisionally detained.
Three people are alleged to have threatened a pizza delivery driver with a knife in Heemsen and stolen cash from his vehicle. They fled on motocross motorcycles.
Two men were injured during a dispute between neighbours in Hanover-Limmer, including a 41-year-old who sustained two stab wounds. Prosecutors are investigating on suspicion of attempted homicide.
A man is alleged to have attacked and injured a fellow resident with a knife at an asylum-seeker accommodation in Augsburg. He was remanded in pre-trial custody.
During a meeting to discuss an ongoing dispute in Bensheim, a 46-year-old man is alleged to have injured a 64-year-old man with a knife. The suspect was provisionally detained.
