Although the numbers are still debatable, the police reported an increase in stabbings, particularly close to train stations, which prompted the German government to pledge stricter knife legislation.
The existing law allows blades of 12 cm to be carried in public; Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has asked for a revision to limit the size of blades to 6 centimeters (2.36 inches). Household knives in their original packaging would be an exemption. There would be a complete prohibition on switchblades.
“Knives are used to commit brutal acts of violence that can cause serious injury or death,” Faeser told the ARD public broadcaster in early August. “We need tougher weapons laws and stricter controls.”
The government statement was made in response to police data showing 8,951 instances of severe bodily harm involving knives in 2023—a 5.6% year increase. With 430 incidents in the first half of this year alone, the federal police—which oversee security at Germany’s airports and main train stations—also revealed a sharp rise in knife attacks inside and near stations.
