Violence and bullying everyday reality at many Berlin schools

Violence and bullying have become part of everyday life at many Berlin schools, according to a study presented by the education minister in the city's administration, Katharina Günther-Wünsch, who described the findings as a clear warning signal. 

According to the representative survey for the "Berlin Conflict and Violence Barometer" published on Monday, 38% of teachers and educational staff perceive violence among pupils as a major problem, with 18% describing it as a very major problem.

This is consistent with the accounts of pupils themselves. The spectrum of violent experiences ranges from insults to hitting, kicking and beating. 

This is particularly evident in the responses of ninth-grade pupils when asked about such experiences in the current or previous school year.

Nearly two thirds (63%) reported being insulted, and nearly half (49%) said they had been ridiculed or humiliated by classmates. Around one in four said they had been excluded or bullied (26%) or hit, kicked or punched (25%). Some 4% reported having been beaten up.

Violence at school is not an isolated case

"When more than half of teachers perceive violence and conflict at their schools as a major or very major problem, we are not talking about isolated cases," Günther-Wünsch said. "When four in five teachers say that pupils' frustration tolerance and impulse control have declined and that conflicts escalate more quickly, that is a clear warning signal."

She said she was particularly concerned about developments at primary schools, where teachers most frequently reported an increase in violence and conflict.

"They report children exploding over trivial matters and conflicts escalating far more quickly," Günther-Wünsch said.

The data was collected by the Allensbach Institute between November 2025 and January 2026, covering just over 14,000 pupils from sixth, ninth and 12th grade, as well as more than 2,500 teachers and educational staff.