A survey conducted by “Der Spiegel” among various federal state education ministries indicates a massive surge in the reported number of right-wing extremist, antisemitic, and racist incidents occurring in schools over recent years.
Concrete data was provided by only nine of the participating states, with others citing difficulties due to relying solely on police statistics, a lack of comprehensive data analysis, or providing no response at all.
The escalating nature of these incidents is evident through state-by-state comparisons. For instance, Lower Saxony saw reports rise from 133 incidents in 2022 to 322 in 2024. Similarly, in Saxony, the numbers climbed from 149 to 247 over the same period, while Hessen reported a jump from 39 cases in 2023 to 159 in 2025.
Across the nine states that supplied figures, approximately 1,500 antisemitic and right-wing extremist incidents were recorded in 2024. These incidents were reportedly carried out through means such as the display of banned license plates or vandalism (graffiti). Furthermore, overall governmental data shows a strong upward trend: school reports filed with district supervision and ministries have risen dramatically since 2014, increasing from 55 incidents to 1,644 in 2024.
Some experts suggest that this significant increase in reporting may also reflect a higher level of vigilance and sensitivity among teaching staff. Addressing the issue, Conrad Clemens, an CDU education minister, stated that “right-wing extremism is the biggest social problem at Saxony’s schools”.