  A search for QCD instanton (I) induced events in deep-inelastic scattering
(DIS) at HERA is presented in the kinematic range of low x and low Q^2. After
cutting into three characteristic variables for I-induced events yielding a
maximum suppression of standard DIS background to the 0.1% level while still
preserving 10% of the I-induced events, 549 data events are found while
363^{+22}_{-26} (CDM) and 435^{+36}_{-22} (MEPS) standard DIS events are
expected. More events than expected by the standard DIS Monte Carlo models are
found in the data. However, the systematic uncertainty between the two
different models is of the order of the expected signal, so that a discovery of
instantons can not be claimed. An outlook is given on the prospect to search
for QCD instanton events using a discriminant based on range searching in the
kinematical region Q^2\gtrsim100\GeV^2 where the I-theory makes safer
predictions and the QCD Monte Carlos are expected to better describe the
inclusive data.
