Graves desecrated by extremists in the Jewish cemetery of Weyhers in western Germany

Antisemitism in Germany has risen threefold in one year, according to a new analysis of crime figures.

There were 2,083 cases of attacks on Jews, Jewish property and hate speech against Jews last year, according to the Ministry of Justice. That compares with 691 cases in 2014.

The figures come from the first national analysis of xenophobic and far-right crime by the ministry, applying the same criteria across all states, which were obtained by the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

Crimes such as smashing headstones at Jewish cemeteries or starting a fire at a synagogue were reclassified as antisemitic after some states designated them as criminal damage or attempted arson without attributing an antisemitic motive. The previous figure for antisemitic crimes in 2015 was 1,366.

The analysis