The number of antisemitic incidents in Germany reached a new record in 2024, with 8,627 reported cases, marking a 77% increase compared to the previous year.

This alarming trend has been documented in the annual report by the Federal Association of Research and Information Centers on Antisemitism (Rias), presented in Berlin on June 4, 2025.

The report indicates that antisemitism has become a daily reality for Jews in Germany, aggravated by geopolitical tensions, particularly following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel.

Rias's managing director, Benjamin Steinitz, emphasized that it was the highest number of attacks against Jews recorded in a calendar year.

Among the 8,627 incidents reported, the organization classified 186 as physical assaults, with eight cases characterized as extreme violence.

Furthermore, there were 443 reports of targeted property damage and 300 instances of direct threats.

The predominant type of incidents—7,514 cases—were categorized as 'injurious behavior', encompassing 1,802 gatherings where antisemitic expressions were documented.

The report also highlights a concerning rise in antisemitic incidents associated with a right-wing extremist background, with 544 cases registered in 2024, the highest number since monitoring began in 2020. Additionally, 5,857 incidents were identified as 'Israel-related antisemitism', reflecting a significant increase from the previous year.

This classification includes situations where Jews in Germany were held accountable for the actions of the Israeli government, or when the state of Israel was demonized.

However, Steinitz noted that criticism of the Israeli government remains permissible.

The increase is also notable in the context of educational settings, with 450 antisemitic incidents reported at universities and 284 at schools, including 19 assaults.

Rias attributed the surge in incidents to the October 2023 Hamas attack, stating that the risk of being targeted as a Jew in Germany has increased significantly since that date.

Furthermore, cases of extreme violence noted by Rias included a Berlin student attacking a Jewish peer in early 2024 and a deadly assault on an Israeli consulate in Munich by a suspected member of the Islamic State.

In response to these rising figures, Felix Klein, the Federal Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight against Antisemitism, has stated that efforts to combat antisemitism must be more effective.

Despite criticism regarding Rias's methodology, Klein expressed trust in the organization's work.

The increased reporting of antisemitic incidents is critical, as it is dependent on victims and witnesses coming forward to the association's monitoring offices, highlighting the importance of community engagement in addressing and documenting such incidents.