Many German states are witnessing a rise in right‑extremist incidents at schools. Data gathered by the “Welt am Sonntag” from the respective ministries shows a clear trend, although direct comparisons across states are difficult because the counting methods, observation periods and reporting rules differ.
In Saxony, 149 right‑extremist incidents were recorded in 2023, 155 in 2024 and a striking 245 already in 2025. The figures refer to what the ministries call “special incidents” that school leaders report-such as political or religious extremist influence or racist or antisemitic events. Saxony’s Minister of Education, Conrad Clemens (CDU), called right‑extremism Germany’s biggest societal problem.
Thuringia saw its number rise from 113 incidents in 2023 to 198 in 2025. Hessen’s reported incidents climbed from 39 in 2023 to 159 in 2025, Berlin’s figures increased from 74 to 126 over the same period, and Rhineland‑Palatinate went from 25 to 78. Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern logged 235 reports of extremist or unconstitutional influences in the 2024/25 school year-up from 195 the previous year-and 98 incidents have already been reported in the current school year.
In Saxony‑Anhalt, police‑registered right‑wing crimes at schools jumped from 74 in 2023 to 192 in 2024, almost a three‑fold increase. Minister of the Interior Tamara Zieschang (CDU) emphasized that such incidents at elementary schools are especially worrisome, underlining the need for early democratic education that starts not only in school but also, and especially, at home.
Brandenburg’s numbers illustrate a sharp uptick: 117 incidents were reported in 2022/23, 560 in 2023/24-nearly a five‑fold rise-and 386 in 2024/25. For the current 2025/26 school year, the ministry has recorded 109 cases in the first half. Nordrhein-Westfalen relies on police data, observing a similar pattern. The police logged 277 politically motivated crimes at schools and universities in 2023, 452 in 2024, and 461 in 2025.
These figures paint a concerning picture of a growing right‑extremist presence in German schools, prompting officials across the country to stress the urgency of reinforcing democratic values from an early age.