Germany recorded a new all-time high in politically motivated crime in 2025. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) announced on Tuesday in Berlin that a total of 85,837 offences were recorded in 2025, nearly two percent more than the previous year.
Dobrindt said he was alarmed by the continued rise in willingness to commit violent acts, particularly the very sharp increase in left-wing extremist motivated offences. According to statistics published by the Federal Interior Ministry and the BKA, violent crimes rose overall by 1.2 percent to 4,156 cases, the highest level since 2016, according to BKA President Holger Münch.
The largest increase in violent crimes was recorded in left-wing extremist motivated crime, where offences rose by nearly 43 percent to 1,087. Overall, left-wing extremist crime increased by more than a third to 13,490 cases.
Right-wing extremist offences remained by far the largest category, accounting for roughly half of all cases at 42,544. Despite a slight decline of 0.6 percent, Dobrindt emphasised that the greatest danger currently comes from right-wing extremism. Violent offences within this category rose by 7.4 percent to 1,598 cases.
Religiously motivated offences increased by 5.7 percent to 1,983 cases. Violent crimes in this category rose by nearly 13 percent, but remained comparatively rare at 98 incidents. Offences driven by foreign ideological motivations fell by 6.2 percent to 6,886 cases, with violent crimes dropping by nearly 28 percent to 704 offences. Cases that could not be assigned to any main category totalled 20,934, a decline of 5.7 percent, with violent incidents falling 15.9 percent to 669 cases.
Hate crimes rose 1.8 percent to 22,159 cases. The overwhelming majority, 88 percent or 19,484 cases, were xenophobically motivated, remaining broadly in line with the previous year. Of those, 8,870 offences were classified as specifically anti-foreigner in nature, a decrease of 5.3 percent.
Antisemitic offences rose five percent to 6,548 cases. BKA chief Münch noted that nearly half of all antisemitic offences are linked to the Middle East conflict. Anti-Roma crimes surged 23 percent to 240 cases, while crimes targeting women jumped nearly 47 percent to 819 cases. It should be noted that hate crime offences may be assigned to more than one group simultaneously, meaning subcategory totals exceed the overall hate crime figure.
Dobrindt noted that among violent offences, bodily harm was very prevalent, resistance against police officers was also very high, and arson-related offences were recorded. He also pointed to protest activity during the past year, where clashes with political opponents frequently occurred. BKA President Münch confirmed that overall violent crimes hit their highest level since 2016.
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