Right-wing crimes up in Germany

Crimes related to right-wing extremism and xenophobia in Germany appear to have risen to their highest levels in six years. Preliminary figures for 2006 showed 12,238 crimes related to the right wing, according to the Internet edition of the Die Zeit weekly. Those figures are expected to rise by the time the final report is ready in May. Last year, the preliminary total of 10,271 rose to nearly 16,000 when the report was completed. Of those, 958 were violent crimes. The Interior Ministry said it expects this year’s total to be higher. So far, the 2006 figures show 726 violent crimes and 8,738 crimes related to propaganda, which in Germany includes acts such as the display of swastikas and Nazi slogans or songs, as well as Holocaust denial.