GETTY Merkel has been under fire over the New Year's Eve sex attacks in Germany

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As the number of complaints of sexual assault and robbery hit 821 in Cologne alone, dozens more were reported elsewhere. In Hamburg the number of complaints has hit 200, in Hesse 31, in Bavaria, 27, in Baden-Wuerttemberg 25, in Bremen 11, and in Berlin six. Aside from the complaints in Cologne, which sits in North Rhinbe-Westphalia, there were dozens of other assaults recorded across the state.

GETTY The number of complaints of sexual assault and robbery hit 821 in Cologne alone

Gangs of foreign young men, many of them asylum seekers, were responsible, according to police. The Sueddeutsche newspaper which published the breakdown of figures from the Federal Criminal Office said: "The phenomenon of sexual violence, in part linked with robberies, is much greater than we previously thought." One case of sexual assault was reported was reported in the states of Lower-Saxony, Brandeburg, Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. The scandal has polarised society in Germany as Chancellor Merkel's 'open door' policy towards the refugees threatens both her legacy - and her position as leader.

GETTY Merkel's 'open door' policy owards the refugees threatens her position as leader

There are vital regional elections in March which her CDU conservative party leadership will see voters punishing her at the polls for allowing over one million refugees into Germany. It has bolstered the far-right and triggered violence against individuals and the accommodation centres where they are housed. On Sunday night on a TV talk show Beatrix von Storch, the chairwoman of the anti-EU and anti-immigrant Alterantive for Germany (AFD) party said Mrs. Merkel had "ruined" Germany like no other leader since the end of WW2. She said on live TV: "I bet you that when this is all over and she has left office she will have to leave the country on security grounds.

GETTY Germany is now turning back around 200 immigrants a day at its borders

I bet you that when this is all over and she has left office she will have to leave the country on security grounds Beatrix von Storch, Alternative for Germany