Violence against teachers in Germany has hit a record high, with more than three attacks reported every day last year, according to police crime statistics.
In 2024, authorities recorded 1,283 cases of intentional simple bodily harm against teachers—the highest level in at least a decade. The figures, drawn from the Police Crime Statistics (PKS), point to a sustained rise in school-related violence.
Between 2015 and 2023, annual cases ranged from 717 to 1,017. The only significant drop came during the coronavirus years, when school closures reduced in-person contact. In 2021, incidents fell to 564, before climbing again as normal classroom teaching resumed.
More serious offences have also risen sharply. In 2024, police recorded 557 cases of violent crime against teachers—including robbery and serious or dangerous bodily harm—up from 477 the previous year and just 268 in 2015.
The statistics cover only incidents directly linked to teachers’ professional duties. Attacks outside the school context are not included, suggesting the overall scale of violence affecting education staff may be higher.
The data comes from a federal government response to a parliamentary inquiry by the Green Party on safety in public service roles.
The rise has renewed calls for stronger protections for frontline workers. Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) has proposed increasing minimum sentences for assaults on public servants, including police, firefighters, and emergency personnel. A cabinet decision on the proposal is still pending.
At the same time, Marcel Emmerich, the Greens’ domestic policy spokesman, has called for improved protection measures in schools, including standardised procedures for dealing with violent incidents and the introduction of technical safeguards such as alarm systems.
A similar pattern is emerging beyond schools. In the healthcare sector, a recent non-representative survey by the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern medical association found that 67% of practice staff reported experiencing verbal abuse, while 13% said they had been physically assaulted—pointing to growing concerns about violence against public-facing professionals more broadly.
