One man has died and at least five other people were injured after a knife-wielding attacker stabbed several people in a shelter for asylum-seekers in southern Germany, according to reports.

The attacker, reportedly a resident of the shelter, is said to have knocked on the doors of the rooms of the building in Kressbronn, on Lake Constance, on Sunday evening, the dpa agency said.

When residents opened their doors, he is reported to have stabbed them.

One man died of his injuries at the scene, one seriously injured man was flown to a hospital, and four other injured people were taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Police officers detained a 31-year-old man, whose name was not given in line with German privacy policy, in front of the asylum seekers' shelter.

Forensic specialists were investigating the scene on Monday morning.