A knife attack in the city of Solingen on Friday night has refocussed attention on Germany's laws regulating the carrying of knives in public. "It is clear to me that our security services must have more powers to detect such perpetrators early on, especially in the digital space," the deputy chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) parliamentary group, Dirk Wiese, told the Rheinische Post newspaper on Saturday. "We also need to finally make progress on knife bans."

Earlier this month, the German government promised tougher knife laws after the police reported a rise in the number of stabbings, especially near train stations — though the statistics remain controversial.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) called for the law to be changed so that only blades of 6 centimeters (2.36 inches) would be allowed to be carried in public, rather than the current 12 centimeters. An exception would be made for household knives in their original packaging. Switchblades would be banned altogether.

"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 pronouncement came after police statistics recorded a 9.7% year-on-year rise in cases of serious bodily harm involving a knife, with 8,951 incidents in 2023. The federal police, which is responsible for safety at Germany's airports and major railway stations, also reported a significant increase in knife........

© Deutsche Welle