Who may be eligible to receive hardship payments?

Victims and bereaved persons of extremist attacks or terrorist offences may be eligible for hardship payments.

The State provides hardship payments to victims of extremist attacks or terrorist offences. These voluntary one-off monetary benefits are provided as an expression of solidarity with the victims from the State and its citizens. They also underscore the condemnation of such offences. The victims and bereaved of extremist attacks committed in Germany or terrorist offences committed in Germany or abroad can apply to the Federal Office of Justice for hardship payments. There is no statutory entitlement to receive hardship payments.

More information on hardship payments as well as the relevant contact persons and application forms can be found through the Federal Office of Justice.

What benefits are offered to those who have suffered financial losses?

In specific cases, the State provides benefits to those affected economically by extremist attacks or terrorist offences.

In addition to hardship payments to victims and bereaved persons, support by the State may, in individual cases, also include benefits to compensate for material damage (damage to property or financial loss) sustained by self-employed persons, small companies and, in some cases, private or religious non-public-law institutions. This is subject to the precondition that their business premises or other premises became the “crime scene” of a terrorist or extremist attack in which persons were, or could have been, killed. An additional requirement is that the offence resulted in material damage having a considerable impact.

Applications for such payments are to be made to the Federal Office of Justice. There is no statutory entitlement to receive benefits.

More information on benefits as well as the relevant contact persons and application forms can be found through the Federal Office of Justice.