The number of antisemitic offenses—including violent attacks, propaganda activities, and incitement to hatred—remains alarmingly high in Germany. In 2024, authorities registered 4,506 antisemitic crimes, according to the federal government’s response to a parliamentary inquiry.
While this figure is over 700 fewer than in 2023—when 5,274 antisemitic crimes were officially recorded—many incidents are often reported with delays.
According to the Interior Ministry’s response, in the fourth quarter of 2024 alone, 671 antisemitic crimes were reported to the Federal Criminal Police Office through the Criminal Police Reporting Service for Politically Motivated Crime. These included 24 violent crimes and 237 cases of incitement to hatred.
A breakdown of the data shows that 326 of the recorded crimes were attributed to right-wing extremists, while 14 were committed by left-wing extremists. Additionally, 227 cases were linked to foreign ideologies, and 89 were motivated by religious extremism. Another 39 incidents were classified under other categories.
The numbers surged in the final quarter of 2023 following the October 7 Islamist Hamas attack on Israel. However, overall figures for the remaining quarters of 2023 were lower than in 2024,
Felix Klein, the German federal commissioner for combating antisemitism, warned in an interview with the Rheinische Post that antisemitism is becoming increasingly normalized in Germany.
“Jewish life in Germany is now at greater risk than at any time since the Shoah,” Klein said. “Antisemitism is present in all segments of society.”
Klein stressed that the normalization of antisemitism cannot be tolerated. “Antisemitism is not only an attack on Jews—it is an expression of a deeply anti-democratic mindset and a rejection of the values of our modern, free society.”
He also highlighted that antisemitism acts as a unifying force across different extremist ideologies, whether far-right, far-left, or religiously motivated.
Klein expressed further concern over increasing hostility toward Israel, noting that this often manifests in criminal acts. “As a result, legitimate concerns for Palestinian civilians are being overshadowed. Instead, activists are hijacking these concerns to spread hatred, incite violence, and express solidarity with Hamas.”
