The RIAS Bayern has published its annual report for 2025, painting a deeply concerning picture of antisemitism in the German state of Bavaria. According to the findings, antisemitic incidents remain at a persistently high level, while their forms of expression are becoming increasingly unrestrained and shifting significantly into the digital sphere.
The report documents 1,551 antisemitic incidents, highlighting a growing proportion linked to Israel-related narratives and a marked rise in online abuse. Jewish and Israeli institutions have increasingly become targets of threats and hostility, with antisemitic rhetoric spreading across digital platforms in ways that researchers warn can escalate hatred and potential violence.
Bavarian Social Minister Ulrike Scharf reacted with alarm, describing the figures as “shocking” and stressing that each individual case is one too many. She warned that Jews in Germany are being increasingly attacked, while Israel is being portrayed as a collective enemy and associated with antisemitic stereotypes. According to Scharf, hatred of Jews is becoming more open and aggressive, particularly online, while physical and verbal threats against Jewish and Israeli institutions are also rising.
She referred in particular to recent incidents, including attacks on a Israeli restaurant in Munich, as evidence of a worrying trend. Scharf called for strengthened prevention efforts against radicalisation, stronger responses to antisemitic narratives, and increased promotion of civic courage. “Jewish life must be protected consistently, and Jews must be able to live openly and safely in Bavaria without fear,” she said, emphasising a message of solidarity and the protection of diversity.
RIAS Bavaria underlined that many of the documented incidents include an Israel-related dimension, and that online cases now account for an ever-larger share of the total. The organisation also stressed that it records not only criminal offences, but also incidents below the threshold of criminality. This approach, it said, is essential to make visible the “dark field” of antisemitism and to provide support structures for those affected.
The organisation has been documenting antisemitic incidents in Bavaria since 2019, with its annual analyses serving as a basis for prevention and protection strategies. The Bavarian state government continues to fund RIAS Bavaria and supports a wide range of educational and prevention initiatives aimed at countering radicalisation.
Among these are programmes such as YouthBridge by the European Janusz Korczak Academy, workshops for young people organised by the Max Mannheimer Study Centre, and the “ReThink” project by the Mansour Initiative for Democracy Promotion and Extremism Prevention. These initiatives focus on raising awareness among young people, strengthening civic courage, and encouraging critical thinking.
Authorities and civil society actors alike stress that education, prevention, and decisive action remain essential to safeguarding Jewish life in Bavaria and countering the spread of antisemitism in all its forms. The full report is available free of charge via RIAS Bavaria’s website or upon request by email.
