Breaking: Crackdown on Neo-Nazi Successors: Raids Across Federal States
Federal Raid Targets Emerging Neo-Nazi Faction Across Multiple Jurisdictions - Raid Operations Conducted in Multiple German States by New Leader of Prohibited Neo-Nazi Faction
Kick off your reading with a straight-up heads up: This here's all about the latest takedown of alleged successors to the banned Neo-Nazi group, "Blood & Honour." Grab a cuppa'- let's dive straight in!
Investigations are heating up in three federal states - North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg. A group of men, aged between 35 to 57, are suspected of continuing the organization under the name "Brothers of Honour." It's claimed they organized and attended right-wing extremist music events. Witness this: Searches were carried out at five locations across these states.
Now, moving on to Baden-Württemberg, it gets quite active! Searches were conducted at 18 residential and work premises, including districts like Karlsruhe, Sigmaringen, Waldshut, Ortenau, and the Black Forest-Baar circles. The target here, alleged members of the group "Brothers of Honour - Chapter South Germany." They're on the chopping block for flouting the association ban and maintaining the outlawed group, "Blood & Honour Division Germany." Get this: They're said to have organized right-wing extremist concerts in the Black Forest-Baar and Ortenau districts.
Blood & Honour, inspired by the Hitler Youth's motto "Blood and Honour," is a globally-linked network of reportedly violent right-wing extremists. Their mission was simple: Coordination of international, right-wing extremist music and propaganda as well as networking the worldwide right-wing extremist scene. The German division was among the biggest in Europe with over 200 members – it was banned by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in 2000.
Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister, Thomas Strobl (CDU), had this to say on the actions: "We have zero tolerance for right-wing extremists in Baden-Württemberg." With the formation of the State Office for State Protection and Counter-Terrorism Baden-Württemberg at the State Criminal Police Office on January 1, 2025, combat power has been beefed up. Strobl effectively explained, "We're taking resolute action against banned associations and their insidious activities with all the means of the rule of law."
- Raids
- Right-wing extremists
- Neo-Nazi remnants
- Police
- Blood and Honour
- Baden-Württemberg
- Karlsruhe
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Rhineland-Palatinate
- Men
- Extremist concerts
- Ortenau
- Black Forest-Baar
Digging Deeper:
While details about the current leaders or key members of the successor groups of "Blood & Honour" in these federal states are scarce, it's essential to understand Neo-Nazi groups in Germany. These groups seek to restore and empower Nazi ideology, often operating under different names and structures after a ban. "Blood & Honour" was part of a larger neo-Nazi network that included groups like "Combat 18," which was banned in 2020 [1]. Despite bans, these groups may continue functioning subversively or through successor organizations [2]. However, explicit information about the hierarchy of these groups in specific states like Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, or Rhineland-Palatinate remains elusive. Up-to-date information can be obtained through recent reports from law enforcement or intelligence agencies.
[1] "Combat 18 banned: far-right group dissolved by Federal Minister of the Interior - interior - POLITICO EU" (2020, April 7). Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.politico.eu/article/combat-18-banned-far-right-group-dissolved-by-federal-minister-of-the-interior/
[2] "Analysis: Germany's Neo-Nazi movements in 2022" (2022, December 16). Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/analysis-germanys-neo-nazi-movements-2022-2021-12-16/
Insightful Fact: Blood & Honour was banned by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Germany in 2000 [Enrichment Data].
Police raids were conducted across three federal states – North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Baden-Württemberg – as part of ongoing investigations into the successor group of the banned Neo-Nazi organization, "Blood & Honour," operating under the name "Brothers of Honour." In Baden-Württemberg specifically, searches were carried out at 18 residential and work premises, including Karlsruhe, Sigmaringen, Waldshut, Ortenau, and the Black Forest-Baar circles, targeting the group "Brothers of Honour - Chapter South Germany." These suspected members are accused of flouting the association ban and maintaining the outlawed group, "Blood & Honour Division Germany," and organizing right-wing extremist concerts in the Black Forest-Baar and Ortenau districts.
