Report a Crime to the Police Online in Germany

You can report a crime to the police online in Germany, without going to a police station. Every German federal state (Bundesland) runs an online police station for this, called an Onlinewache or sometimes Internetwache. You fill in a form whenever it suits you. Reporting is free, and you don't need a lawyer. This guide walks you through it step by step: what to prepare, how the form works and what happens next.

The most important thing first: the Onlinewache is not for emergencies. It can take a while before anyone processes your form. If you are being threatened and are afraid someone will hurt you, call 110 straight away.

What can you report through the Onlinewache?

Typical online cases you can report this way:

• Insulting comments or messages
• Lies about you that damage your reputation
• Hate directed at you because of your origin, religion, sexuality or other characteristics
• Threats, as long as there is no immediate danger
• Fake profiles in your name, or private data published about you

What exactly can be reported online varies from state to state. If the form has no option that fits, go to the nearest police station or write to the public prosecutor's office (Staatsanwaltschaft). Both routes are just as valid (Section 158(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, StPO).

You can also report if you don't know who is behind an account. The report is then made “against persons unknown” (gegen Unbekannt). The police and the public prosecutor can then try to identify the person.

What do you need for an online police report?

Take a few minutes before you open the form. Put everything together in one folder:

• Your contact details: name, address, date of birth, email address and phone number. The police need them to reach you with questions.
• Links: to every post, comment and profile involved.
• Screenshots: showing the profile name, date, time and the context before and after. How to do this on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms is explained in Securing Evidence of Online Hate.
• A short timeline: what happened when? Keywords are enough.
• What you know about the person: username, profile URL, perhaps their real name. Write down only what you know. Mark guesses as guesses.
• Witnesses: who else saw the content?

One exception for images: if nude images or sexual depictions of minors are involved, do not take screenshots, do not download anything and do not forward anything, not even to the police. Possessing and passing on such material can itself be a criminal offence under Sections 184b and 184c of the Criminal Code (StGB). Describe in your report what can be seen and note the link. The police will take it from there.

Reporting to the police online: step by step

1. Choose a state. Open the police Onlinewache portal and select a federal state. In principle, the state where the offence happened is responsible. For offences on the internet, choose the state you live in. Some states redirect you to their own portal. In some you can log in with BundID, the federal government's online ID account.
2. Select the type of report. The form asks what the report is about. For online hate, an option for internet crime or a general criminal complaint usually fits. The names differ from state to state. Most forms are in German only.
3. Describe what happened. Write factually and in order: when, where, who, what. Quote the statements word for word, even if that is unpleasant. The exact wording helps decide whether an offence may have been committed, and which one. Also write how the messages affect you, for example whether you are afraid. With threats, this matters.
4. Attach evidence. In many states you upload files directly. Elsewhere you send them later to the responsible police unit, quoting the file number (Aktenzeichen). Always put the links in the text.
5. Request prosecution explicitly. Write in your report: “Ich stelle Strafantrag wegen aller in Betracht kommenden Delikte.” This means: I request prosecution for all offences that may apply. The next section explains why.
6. Check and submit. Read everything once more. Save the summary or take a screenshot before you close the window.

What is the difference between a report and a request for prosecution?

A report (Strafanzeige) informs the police about a possible offence. For many offences, that is enough for an investigation to start, for example with threats or incitement to hatred.

Insult, defamation and slander, on the other hand, are usually complaint offences (Antragsdelikte). As a rule, they are only prosecuted if the person affected files a formal request for prosecution (Strafantrag). You have three months to do this, counted from the day you learn of the offence and of the person behind it (Section 77b StGB).

In the past, a Strafantrag filed with the police had to be in writing. Since July 2024, the law instead requires that your identity and your wish to have the offence prosecuted are established (Section 158(2) StPO). Whether a request made through the Onlinewache always meets this is not certain. File it in the form anyway. If the police contact you, ask whether they need any further confirmation. More on this in Criminal Complaints and Deadlines Explained.

What happens after your online report?

• Confirmation: you usually get an automatic confirmation, often with a file number. Keep it. As an injured party, you can also ask for written confirmation of your report (Section 158(1) StPO).
• Forwarding: the police pass your report to the responsible unit. Someone there may contact you with questions or invite you to give a witness statement.
• Investigation: the public prosecutor leads the proceedings. They can, for example, request data from platforms to find out who is behind an account. This can take time.
• Outcome: in the end, the public prosecutor drops the case, applies for a penalty order (Strafbefehl) or brings charges. If the case is dropped, you receive a decision with reasons (Section 171 StPO). If you are the injured party, it also explains how to challenge the decision. You have two weeks to do so (Section 172(1) StPO). For offences open to private prosecution, such as insult, court-enforced prosecution (Klageerzwingungsverfahren) is excluded (Section 172(2) sentence 3 StPO).
• Information: on request, you are told whether the case was dropped and how any court proceedings ended (Section 406d StPO).

You cannot simply withdraw a report. You can withdraw a Strafantrag, up until the proceedings are finally concluded. But once withdrawn, it cannot be filed again (Section 77d StGB). So think carefully before withdrawing it.

What applies if you are under 18?

Young people can report an offence to the police too. The Strafantrag is different: for minors, it is filed by their parents or other people with parental responsibility (Section 77(3) StGB). The three-month deadline then starts when they learn of the offence and the offender (Section 77b(2) StGB). So talk to an adult you trust early on.

If there is no one at home you can talk to: the Nummer gegen Kummer helpline is free and anonymous on 116 111, Monday to Saturday from 2 pm to 8 pm. The Telefonseelsorge crisis line is available around the clock on 0800 111 0 111. Both are primarily in German.

Which mistakes should you avoid?

• Waiting too long. Platforms and providers don't keep data forever, and the deadline for the Strafantrag is running.
• Blocking before securing. After blocking, you often can no longer see the profile and its content.
• Showing only the worst sentence. Without context, a statement is hard to assess.
• Exaggerating. Stick to what happened. Knowingly false accusations are a criminal offence themselves.

A report and a law firm are not either-or

A report makes the state investigate. It does not automatically make a post disappear. Removal and injunctions are enforced under civil law, usually with a law firm. Both routes can run in parallel. The difference is explained in Criminal Complaint or Lawyer?. If you are being threatened, also read Online Threats: When They Are a Criminal Offence.

Frequently asked questions

Does reporting through the Onlinewache cost anything?

No. Reporting is free, online or at a police station. You don't need a lawyer for it.

Can I report an anonymous account?

Yes. The report is then made against persons unknown (gegen Unbekannt). Include every link and profile name so investigators have something to start from.

Which state do I choose for online hate?

For offences on the internet, choose the state you live in. The portal then forwards you to the responsible police force.

How long do I have to report?

For complaint offences such as insult, you must file the Strafantrag within three months. When that period starts is set out in Section 77b StGB. Don't wait anyway: platforms delete data at some point.

How Hass-Hetze can help

You can also report it through our form, before or after going to the police. Upload your screenshots and links there. If you say yes, your report goes automatically to a suitable cooperating law firm (Kooperationskanzlei) as soon as one is available. If there is no suitable firm right now, you get an email with other places to turn to straight away. Deadlines keep running: you can always file a request for prosecution (Strafantrag) with the police yourself. The legal assessment comes from the law firm, not from us.