Multitudes of extremists in Germany legally possess firearms - Armed extremists numbering in the thousands are legally permitted in Germany
In March 2022, the German government presented an action plan aimed at combating right-wing extremism. However, the plan did not provide specific numbers regarding the number of right-wing extremist weapon owners in several federal states, including Baden-Württemberg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Rhineland-Palatinate.
According to reports, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern alone has 447 right-wing extremist weapon owners. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the number stands at 386. Unfortunately, no information is available about the type of extremism associated with these weapon owners.
The plan was based on a survey of the relevant authorities in the 16 federal states, as reported by NDR and WDR. However, only 11 of these states provided information on the number of weapons extremists own. The plan did not specify the number of federal states that provided information about the firearms owned by left-wing extremist, Islamist, or other spectrum.
As of 2025, there are no publicly available, precise figures on the exact number of firearms legally owned by right-wing extremists in Germany. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) reported about 50,250 far-right extremists in 2024, of whom approximately 15,300 are potentially violent extremists. However, no specific firearm possession numbers are given.
The increase in far-right extremism and associated violent crime in Germany is a cause for concern. Incidents involving homemade firearms and military-grade weapons have been reported in European contexts. The most active far-right political presence is found in states like Hesse and Bavaria, where the AfD, linked to far-right extremism, gained significant political ground.
It is worth noting that media reports indicate that at least 2500 people classified as extremists in Germany legally own firearms. Over two-thirds of these extremists are right-wing extremists, neo-Nazis, so-called Reich citizens, or radical Querdenkers.
The action plan presented by the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser (SPD), in March 2022, included the goal of consistently disarming the right-wing extremist spectrum. However, the plan did not provide specific numbers for firearms in Baden-Württemberg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, or Rhineland-Palatinate.
In conclusion, while the action plan against right-wing extremism is a step in the right direction, it falls short in providing detailed information about the extent of the problem in certain federal states. The lack of specific numbers on firearm ownership by right-wing extremists and the absence of information about the type of extremism associated with these weapon owners are areas that require further attention and transparency.
[1] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/rechts-extremismus-in-deutschland-wie-groß-ist-die-gefahr-a-1275053.html [2] https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/afd-verbreitung-101.html [3] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/deutschland-rechts-extremismus-gefahr-in-sicht-a-1209068.html [5] https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bundesregierung-rechts-extremismus-gefahr-in-sicht-a-1209068.html
- The action plan presented by the German government in March 2022 aims to address right-wing extremism, yet it lacks specific numbers regarding the number of right-wing extremist weapon owners in several federal states, such as Baden-Württemberg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Rhineland-Palatinate, under policy-and-legislation and crime-and-justice.
- Despite the goal of consistently disarming the right-wing extremist spectrum in the presented action plan, no specific numbers on firearm ownership by right-wing extremists in Baden-Württemberg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, or Rhineland-Palatinate are provided, raising concerns about transparency and effectiveness in the general-news and politics.
