Germany’s Far Right Gains on the Ground and in Opinion Polls

Germany’s far-right scene is becoming more violent and crimes committed by right-wing extremists are on the rise. Those are the sobering findings of the new annual report (published on May 19) compiled by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. In 2008, 19,894 far-right motivated crimes were recorded —up 15.8% on the previous year. These crimes range from assault and arson to propaganda offenses. In a worrying development, Neo-Nazis are resorting to increasingly violent tactics. 1,042 violent far-right crimes were reported in 2008, a rise of 6.3% on the previous year. Using the internet to spread their anti-Semitic, xenophobic message, far-right groups are also becoming adept at mobilising supporters. The number of neo-Nazi demonstrations rose to 80 in 2008, compared with 66 in 2007.