Extremism prevention in German schools

In response to rising political extremism and racism in schools, German educational authorities and associations are implementing various prevention and education measures.

In Saxony, the state government introduced a 15-point action plan following data showing a significant increase in politically motivated crimes at schools. In 2025, police recorded 335 such offenses, more than triple the 2021 figures, with 214 attributed to the right-wing spectrum. The Saxon plan focuses on pedagogical approaches, including training teachers to recognize unconstitutional symbols, increasing media literacy, and making social studies and law education mandatory for 10th-grade students. Officials decided to maintain legal protections for classrooms rather than removing them to facilitate easier prosecution of vandalism, opting instead for early prevention.

In Cologne, the EL-DE-Haus e. V. association is supporting the NS Documentation Center by providing workshops for schools. These sessions, following the ‘Democracy is non-negotiable’ campaign, address antisemitism, right-wing extremism, and discriminatory behavior to help students and teachers navigate social and political tensions.