A survey conducted by “Der Spiegel” among the state culture and education ministries indicates a massive increase in reported incidents of far-right, anti-Semitic, and racist behavior within schools over recent years. Data from several states highlights striking increases. For example, in Hesse, recorded cases rose from 39 in 2023 to 159 in 2025. Similarly, Saxony saw numbers jump from 149 to 247 over the same period, while Lower Saxony reported a significant rise of such incidents from 133 in 2022 to 322 in 2024.
Of the nine states that provided concrete numbers, a total of approximately 1,500 anti-Semitic and far-right incidents were reported in 2024. These incidents often involved activities such as the use of prohibited signs or graffiti.
The source in Saxony suggested that this steep rise might also reflect an increased sensitivity among teaching staff. Generally, the number of reports made to school supervisory authorities and ministries has risen sharply since 2014, increasing from 55 incidents to 1,644 in 2024.
However, transparency regarding the full scope of the problem varied greatly, as only nine ministries offered detailed figures. Other states either cited police statistics and difficulties in data evaluation, or chose not to respond at all, with three failing to provide any information. Meanwhile, CDU Education Minister Conrad Clemens emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that “far-right extremism is the largest societal problem at Saxony’s schools”.
