Published: February 19, 2025
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Germany Travel Advisory and Germany Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
U.S. Embassy Berlin
Clayallee 170
14191 Berlin
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel: +49-30-8305-0
American Citizen Services: +49-30-8305-1200. Hours: 1400 – 1600, Monday – Thursday.
U.S. Consulate Dusseldorf
Willi-Becker-Allee 10
40227 Düsseldorf
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel: +49-30-8305-0
U.S. Consulate Frankfurt
Gießener Str. 30
60435 Frankfurt am Main
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel: +49-69-7535-0
U.S. Consulate Hamburg
Kehrwieder 8
20457 Hamburg
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel: +49-30 – 8305-0
U.S. Consulate Leipzig
Wilhelm-Seyfferth-Straße 4
04107 Leipzig
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel: +49-30-8305-0
Email: LeipzigUSConsulate@state.gov
U.S. Consulate Munich
Königinstraße 5
80539 München
Federal Republic of Germany
Tel: +49-89-2888-0
OSAC Country Chapter
The U.S. Embassy in Berlin has consolidated the individual OSAC chapters in Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich into one Germany Country Chapter. There are over 300 Chapter members representing 210 different private sector organizations.
Contact OSAC’s Europe team with any questions.
Germany Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise increased caution in Germany due to terrorism.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt as being a MEDIUM-threat location; and Dusseldorf, Leipzig, and Munich as LOW-threat locations for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Germany.
Crime rates throughout Germany are comparable to those in most developed countries, and comparative analysis of crime data for the U.S. and Germany reveals only marginal differences. According to the most recent reporting from the German Federal Criminal Police office (BKA), the total number of recorded criminal offenses increased by 5.5% in 2023 compared to 2022 (roughly 5.95 million cases versus 5.63 million in 2022). Violent crime increased by 8.6% (214,099 cases versus 197,202 cases in 2022), and theft-related crimes increased by 10.7% (roughly 1.9 million cases versus 1.78 million in 2022). Extensive information regarding reported crime statistics and German crime prevention programs are available in several languages on the BKA website.
Visiting U.S. nationals are commonly victims of purse snatching or pickpocketing in high traffic and tourist areas (e.g., train stations, internet cafes, crowded restaurants, and outdoor marketplaces). Exercise caution when congregating in known expatriate hangouts. Violent crimes against U.S. nationals are relatively infrequent, but can occur, especially in larger cities or high-risk areas such as on large metropolitan subway systems and in train stations, primarily during late night or early morning hours. Visitors should carry a copy of their passport while maintaining the original in a safe location. While personal assaults do occur, there is no evidence that anti-U.S. sentiment drives such crimes.
The use of combustible gases or explosives to blow open Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and steal the money stored inside is an increasing frequent crime, particularity in western Germany. ATM robberies occur primarily between the hours of 0001 and 0500. ATMs with less robust security features, such as stand-alone ATMs, and those located in residential buildings, those located in rural or less densely populated suburban areas, and those located in close proximity to major highways are more frequently targeted. The blast radius from an ATM explosion can range between 200 and 500 meters.
Oktoberfest is an annual event that brings more than six million visitors to Bavaria each fall. Security planning for this event continues to evolve each year to address emerging criminal and terrorism-related concerns. Those planning to attend this and other such seasonal festivals should remain vigilant in public to mitigate the risks, including petty crime and alcohol-related incidents that accompany large, high-profile public gatherings. The official Oktoberfest App includes security information and features such as a detailed fairground map. The Munich Police Twitter feed (@PolizeiMuenchen) also provides its followers with helpful information, updated security incidents, and tips to avoid becoming a victim at Oktoberfest. Sexual assault directed at female attendees is of particular concern.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Germany.
The kidnapping rate for Germany is extremely low. However, the overall kidnapping rate fluctuates substantially when incorporating instances of human trafficking and parental abduction, the latter being by far the most significant of these figures given the number of parents with varying national origins and citizenship.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed all cities hosting U.S. diplomatic interests in Germany as being MEDIUM-threat locations for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Germany, indicating that terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
Credible information indicates terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Europe. European governments are taking action to guard against terrorist attacks; however, all European countries remain potentially vulnerable to attacks from transnational terrorist organizations. Terrorist groups and those inspired by such organizations are intent on attacking U.S. citizens abroad. Terrorists are increasingly using less sophisticated methods of attack—including knives, firearms, and vehicles—to more effectively target crowds. Terrorists target unprotected or vulnerable targets, such as high-profile public events, like sporting events, political rallies, holiday events; hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists; places of worship; schools; parks; shopping malls and market; or public transportation systems.
Germany’s inaugural National Security Strategy, presented in 2023, called for defending Germany’s society against all forms of “extremism;” German officials consider racially and ethnically motivated violent extremist (REMVE) actors to be the greatest threat to domestic security. The most recent statistics, from 2022, estimated Germany held 27,480 “Islamist extremists;” 38,800 “right-wing extremists,” of whom 14,000 were potential REMVEs; and 36,500 “left-wing extremists,” of whom 10,800 were potentially violent. There are approximately 35 detained and about 50 displaced German nationals in northeast Syria. To date, Germany has repatriated about 100 displaced nationals but has declined to repatriate its detained nationals.
The U.S. continues to collaborate closely with European allies on the threat from international terrorism, including al-Qa’ida and ISIS. The U.S. routinely shares information with its key partners to disrupt terrorist plotting, identify and act against potential operatives, and strengthen defenses against potential threats. German authorities continue to investigate extremist groups, deport or arrest individuals considered dangerous, and conduct raids on suspected groups throughout the country.
Several international terrorist groups that target U.S. government personnel and interests have a presence and operate in Germany, including ISIS, al-Qa’ida, Kongra Gel (Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK), Hizb’allah, and Hamas, as well as racially and ethnically motivated terrorists and anti-establishment motivated extremists. The large population of official U.S. government and military personnel in Germany creates a significant potential target for terrorist groups.
Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack in Israel and Israel’s subsequent reaction, there have been increased calls by terrorist organizations like ISIS and al-Qa’ida to attack targets in Europe. According to Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), the Israel-Hamas conflict has fueled an increased risk of attacks that might be carried out by radicalized Islamists inside Germany. According to the BfV, much of the threat comes from radicalized lone-actor perpetrators, who could attack using knives, vehicle ramming, guns, incendiary devices, and other methods that do not require specialized knowledge, access, or training.
Lone-actors perpetrators pose a serious risk due to their ability to remain undetected, at times, until operational and their willingness to attack civilian and soft targets, such as restaurants, markets/shopping malls, hotels, clubs, and other similar locations. Often, it remains unclear whether the perpetrators are driven by extremist ideology or mental illness. Preventing such offences is a special challenge, since these attacks are committed at short notice, involving only a short planning phase and little organizational effort, and often without relying on any relevant network or communication structures. In December 2024, an attacker drove his vehicle through the Magdeburg Christmas market, highlighting a trend of attackers skirting traditional ideological delineations and the intersection of radicalization, mental illness, and anti-establishment views. In August 2024, ISIS claimed credit for a stabbing attack at a music festival in Solingen, which killed three people and injured eight others, though the attacker’s ties to ISIS remain unclear.
Germany’s 2024 Annual Report on the Protection of the Constitution (the most recent report) marked an increase to 14,500 in the number of right-wing violent extremists by the end of 2023 (up from 14,000 in 2022). German authorities reported that there were 25,660 total number of right-wing extremist criminal and violent offences, which is an increase of about 22.5% in comparison to 2022, when it was 20,967. While the largest share of right-wing extremist crime was related to propaganda offences, violent offences accounted for 4.5% of all right-wing extremist criminal offences, which is a 13% increase over the previous year. Right-wing extremist bodily injury offences with a xenophobic background increased by 16.4% compared to the previous year (2023: 874; 2022: 751). The total number of violent offences with a xenophobic background also increased by 17.2% (2023: 933, 2022: 796). Right-wing extremist offenses that resulted in property damage also increased by 24.2% (2023: 518; 2022: 417). Especially noticeable was the rise in the incitement to hatred, which saw an increase of 51.9% (2023: 4,746; 2022: 3,125).
Right-wing extremists instrumentalize crises to advance their own narratives, and since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, they have framed pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Germany as an anti-migration and anti-asylum issue. They have also focused on the cost of energy and overall cost of living in Germany since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, German authorities note that despite the increase in numbers, right-wing extremist protests in 2023 remained well below levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the most recent 2024 European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend report, which captures EU member-state data on terrorism, there were no reported right-wing terrorist attacks in Germany, though the authorities thwarted one attack.
Left-wing extremist membership numbers also rose by 1.4% in 2023, numbering around 37,000 total, of whom German authorities assess 11,200 are potentially violent. The number of criminal offences motivated by left-wing extremism rose by 10.4% in 2023 (2023: 4,248; 2022: 3,847). The increase in the number of violent acts rose by 20.8% to 727 (2022: 602). German authorities assess left-wing extremists increasingly cause millions of euros in damage through attacks on businesses and critical infrastructure. Attacks on infrastructures such as cable ducts, telecommunication equipment, or railway facilities are crimes and violent acts motivated by left-wing extremism that can potentially affect large parts of the population.
Sometimes private businesses are also targeted with left-wing extremists trying to provide an ideological justification for their actions by characterizing their attacks in the context of “anti-militarism,” “anti-repression,” “anti-gentrification,” and their support for the climate protest movement. These attacks often manifest as arson or damage to vehicles, machines, and infrastructure of the businesses.
Extensive information regarding facts and trends about the terrorism threat in Germany are available in multiple languages on the BfV website.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Berlin and Leipzig as being MEDIUM-threat locations, and Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, and Munich as LOW-threat locations for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Germany. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
Germany is a constitutional democracy. Citizens choose their representatives periodically in free and fair multiparty elections. The country’s 16 states exercise considerable autonomy, including over law enforcement. National elections in 2021 (and local and regional elections in prior years) were free and fair, and passed without significant insecurity. Germany will be voting in early parliamentary elections on February 23, 2025, following the collapse of its governing coalition. German intelligence agencies warned that Moscow may step up efforts to boost extremist parties and sow doubt about the democratic process ahead of its February elections. In December, German police arrested four suspected members of a right-wing youth organization who attacked election campaigners.
In recent years there has been more attention on groups of “Reichsbürger” (means “citizens of the Reich”) and “Selbstverwalter” (means “self-administrators) who, for various reasons, deny the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany and reject its legal system. A small percentage of “Reichsbürger” and “Selbstverwalter” are also right-wing extremists. In October 2022, a retired civil servant was arrested on suspicion of leading an organization that sought to bring about civil war-like conditions in the Federal Republic of Germany by committing attacks on critical infrastructure and thereby causing a massive blackout. The group also planned to abduct Federal Minister of Health. At least since November 2021, the existence of a group surrounding P. Heinrich XIII of R. has made clear the seriousness of the threat posed by “Reichsbürger”, who are current or former public employees. This group sought to overthrow the German government and replace it with their own power structure. On a planned “Day X”, the group intended to use their own military wing, which they had developed specifically for this purpose, to violently topple the German state. As a result of federal prosecutors’ investigation into the group, large-scale enforcement measures were ultimately carried out in December 2022. The suspects included active and former police officers and members of the Bundeswehr.
Protests & Demonstrations
Many well-planned and publicized demonstrations protesting government policies draw thousands of participants; spontaneous demonstrations concerning education and other economic and social issues occur almost daily throughout Germany. Demonstrations tend to take place on politically significant holidays like German Labor Day (May 1) and during international summits hosted in Germany. Demonstration organizers must obtain prior police approval, and police routinely oversee participants.
Demonstrations in Berlin typically take place on Unter den Linden/Pariser Platz near the Brandenburg Gate and U.S. Embassy. Climate-change activist groups like Last Generation and Extinction Rebellion continue to hold significant demonstrations, which can cause significant disruption to traffic by chaining themselves to buildings, gluing themselves or objects to buildings, or other actions. They have also directly targeted private-sector organizations, including OSAC members. No matter the theme of a given demonstration, avoid such events, as they can turn violent very quickly.
In 2024, farmers protested tax rises and subsidy cuts, resulting in logistical disruptions across many Germany cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Bremen, Nuremberg, Munich, and others. Similar to climate-change activists, these protesters are using disruption tactics to bring attention to their cause by utilizing tractors and trucks.
There have also been protests against the far-right. In January 2024, rallies were held across Germany after a report from an investigative outlet said that AfD members had met with extremists in Potsdam in November to develop a “master plan” for race-based mass deportations – including “non-assimilated citizens” – should AfD come to power. According to protest organizers, 1.4 million people joined rallies in Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Cottbus, Dortmund, Dresden, Erfurt, Flensburg, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Hannover, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Munich, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart. Many rallies saw thousands more participants than predicted – in Hamburg and Munich, authorities had to end demonstrations early due to dangerous overcrowding.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
Demonstrations with an anti-U.S. sentiment remain common in Germany, but are usually nonviolent. However, since Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, there have been anti-U.S. and counterprotests that have sometimes resulted in clashes. For instance, in November 2022, protesters in Leipzig demanded that U.S. troops and any nuclear weapons based in Germany be removed; counterdemonstrators clashed with these protesters. In June 2023, more than 1,500 anti-war protesters reportedly gathered and camped near Ramstein Air Base to demand the U.S. military withdraw from Germany. Also in February 2023, similar anti-U.S. protest took place in Ramstein-Miesenbach, which was organized by a mix of German right-wing politicians and Russian expatriates. Protests like these have also attracted disarmament advocates and anti-vaccine activists.
Law Enforcement
The Landespolizei (LPOL) is the primary law enforcement apparatus in each of Germany’s 16 states, and the agency that individuals may encounter in the cities and villages in Germany. LPOL is responsible for enforcing state laws and ordinances, responding to emergency calls for assistance, traffic enforcement and accident investigation, U-Bahn transportation security as well as criminal and counterterrorism investigations within the state.
The Bundespolizei (BPOL) is the federal police agency responsible for border security, transportation security at international airports and on S-Bahn railways, international and domestic counterterrorism response, protection of international state visitors, protection of federal properties, and federal criminal investigations.
LPOL and BPOL share responsibility for border security pertaining to over-land, international traffic. The LPOL reports to its respective state interior ministry, while the BPOL reports to the German Interior Ministry. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz - BfV), Germany’s domestic security and intelligence agency, and the state offices for the protection of the constitution (Landesamt für Verfassungsschutz - LfV), the states’ domestic security and intelligence agencies are responsible for gathering intelligence on threats to domestic order and other security functions. The BfV reports to the German Interior Ministry, and the LfVs report to their respective state interior ministries.
Germany’s postwar security architecture has a strict organizational separation between law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Privacy and data protection laws place significant limits on the collection and retention of data.
Police Response
Police response times to emergencies are similar to those experienced in the United States. Police are dispatched to emergency calls via a central dispatch center, with calls prioritized based on circumstances and availability of police units. Due to privacy laws, dispatch centers are unable to geolocate a caller’s location immediately when using a mobile telephone. The dispatcher will send the caller an SMS with a link. Clicking on this link will provide the necessary consent required for the police to then geolocate the caller’s phone. However, being able to effectively relay one’s location to police is critically important during an emergency and is often a determining factor in measuring police response times.
The emergency line in Germany is 110. This number will connect the caller to the dispatch center of the respective LPOL jurisdiction. For medical and fire emergencies, dial 112 for immediate assistance.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Germany, review the local laws and circumstances on the Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Germany. If you are arrested or detained, ask police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy or nearest U.S. Consulate General immediately.
The constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court. The government generally observes these requirements. Police in several states have the legal authority to take preventive action against an “impending danger.” Critics argue this provision gives police excessive surveillance power, otherwise reserved for the country’s intelligence services.
The law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implements the law effectively. There have only been isolated recent reports of government corruption.
Cybersecurity
Cyber-related risks remain a major concern. According to the German government’s 2024 State of IT Security in Germany report, ransomware groups and advanced persistent threats (APT) remain the main threat, though the reporting period was also marked by the continued expansion of the cybercriminal black market economy. According to estimates, companies suffered losses around €206 billion in 2023 from digital attacks, industrial espionage, and sabotage; €148 billion of which was attributed to cyberattacks. The German government continues to assess ransomware as the great threat to commercial enterprises. Large companies continue to be attacked, but criminals will often take the path of least resistance and target not only small and medium-sized companies, but also municipalities, universities, and research institutions.
The State of IT Security report found that 22 different APT groups were active in Germany over the last year, and their attacks targeted public authorities and businesses, particularly in the field of foreign affairs, defense, and public safety and order. In the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel and Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, APTs used disinformation, hacktivism, espionage, and sabotage in cyberspace. However, the assessment also found that attackers exaggerated the impact of sabotage or distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS) attacks on social media to amplify feelings of uncertainty.
Russian cyber actors primarily use cyber-attacks to gain intelligence, spread disinformation and propaganda, support disinformation campaigns, and for sabotage. Russian cyber-attacks mainly target government entities, parliaments and political figures, armed forces, media organizations, supranational organizations, political foundations, international businesses, as well as scientific and research institutions.
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) actors also are active inside Germany. In 2022, suspected official or state-sponsored PRC actors carried out targeted cyber-attacks on companies, government agencies, private individuals and political institutions. BfV observed ongoing attack campaigns during 2022, especially in Europe – including Germany – but also in other Western countries, which likely originated from PRC state cyber actors. In Germany, PRC intelligence services focus on the fields of politics and administration, the business sector, academic research, the technology sector and the military. They also act against PRC opposition groups.
Import/Export Restrictions
Germany has strict customs regulations concerning temporary importation or exportation of firearms, military artifacts (particularly those of World War II), antiques, medications/pharmaceuticals, and business equipment. Under German law, it is also illegal to bring into or take out of Germany any literature, music, or paraphernalia that glorifies fascism, the Nazi past, or the “Third Reich.”
If traveling with prescription medication, visit the German customs website to ensure the medication is legal in Germany. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription. For medications that Germany classifies as narcotics, you may only carry a 30-day supply. If your medication is on that list, there is an additional requirement for your doctor to complete a certification form. You will see part E asks for the endorsement of an “issuing authority.” As there is no such authority in the United States, travelers may have the doctor self-certify the form and enter the information of his or her practice in part E, ideally with a stamp or seal from their office. Due to Germany’s strict customs regulations, you are not allowed to receive prescription medication by mail without special permission.
There are no restrictions on satellite phones in Germany.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
