ABSTRACT
Germany has a well-known and thoroughly studied history of racial victimization. Particular sensitivities towards right wing extremism, anti-semitism, xenophobia and racially motivated violence in Germany are rooted in the past. As regards criminal law, a range of offence statutes addresses the issue of racist crime. A group of criminal offence statutes is linked to activities around banned political parties and groups as well as propaganda activities. Data and information on racist violence available in Germany can be collapsed roughly into several categories. There exist police and judicial information systems into which data on cases of violence are entered. Since the 1990s German police forces started to collect information on xenophobic crime. A multitudes of organisations and initiatives have developed since the first massive signs of racist crime after the 1990 German re-unification became visible. In addition to the grass root initiatives, victims of racist crime have received special attention.
