The Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS) recorded more than 8,700 incidents classified as antisemitic in 2025, many of which were connected to the State of Israel, according to its annual report published Wednesday.
The report documents a wide range of incidents, including an attack in Hesse where a rabbi was shoved in front of his children and had his phone snatched. The perpetrators allegedly blamed the rabbi for actions of the Israeli government.
Jewish people in Germany reported verbal abuse and death threats on social media. One woman received a Facebook image of a Zyklon B canister with the caption “Still in stock.” Zyklon B was used by Nazis in concentration camps to murder Jews during the Holocaust.
RIAS, a government-funded association founded in Berlin in 2018, collects antisemitic incident reports nationwide. It has regional offices in 11 of Germany’s 16 states.
The 2025 figures remain roughly at 2024 levels. Incidents are categorized by target and motivation, but the methodology has faced criticism, as not all recorded incidents constitute criminal offenses.
Julia Kopp, project manager at RIAS Berlin, stated that antisemitism does not begin at the point of a criminal offense. RIAS uses the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which critics say blurs the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism.
The Berlin-based Diaspora Alliance has accused RIAS of disproportionately focusing on “Israel-related antisemitism” and underestimating far-right extremism. RIAS has rejected these allegations.
Antisemitic incidents surged after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages. The ensuing war in Gaza has killed more than 73,000 people.
In 2025, RIAS documented four cases of extreme violence, including a February knife attack on a Spanish tourist at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin. The perpetrator was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
RIAS attributes 68% of incidents to “Israel-related antisemitism.” Experts warn against conflating all Jews with Israel, as not all Jews are Israeli citizens and not all Israelis are Jewish.
Josef Schuster, chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said many Jews fear being recognizable on the street, especially in urban areas, when wearing a kippa or Star of David.
Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight Against Antisemitism, called the report alarming, stating that antisemitism threatens democracy and freedom.
Source: www.dw.com