Exclusive: Neo-Nazis On The Rise In Eastern Germany
Despite some signs of decrease right-wing extremist violence in Germany as a whole, the former Communist eastern part of the country has registered an uptick in Neo-Nazi action.
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With the help of Saxony's Special Commission on Right-Wing Extremism -- ‘"Soko Rex"" -- four young neo-Nazi men were arrested shortly before Christmas Eve, 2010 on suspicion of murder and causing grievous bodily harm.
Three of the men had allegedly beaten up two guests at the La Notte dance bar in Görlitz on October 23, 2010. The attacks were brutal. A beer glass was deliberately smashed into the right eye of one of the victims, leaving him virtually blind in that eye. The second victim's jaw was broken in several places.
Two of the accused are presumed to have taken part in another attack, in which they used pepper spray and sticks against two supposed "leftists."
According to excerpts of a new report obtained by Die Welt, which will be officially presented in Berlin on Friday, acts of violence -- attempted murder, bodily harm, arson, disturbance of the peace -- perpetrated by right-wing extremists have shot up in the eastern part of Germany.
Overall, the number of right-wing extremists has fallen and presently stands at 25,000. However, the number of neo-Nazis who would be prone to violence has increased by 600 to 5,600. Among militant neo-Nazis is a group called the ‘"Autonomous Nationalists,"" which has 1000 members. They function as mirror opposites of left-wing autonomists; right down to copying the latter's way of dressing in black hoodies, black baseball caps and sunglasses.
According to the report, both sides regularly engage in street fights. In 2010, right-wingers injured 232 left-wingers, while the latter caused injury to 308 right-wingers.
Anti-Semitism is the link that binds all the various right-wing extremist groups. The report mentions 1,166 criminal offences due to underlying ‘"extremism or anti-Semitism."" In addition to acts of violence, the report says, there were 16,375, politically motivated criminal acts in 2010 by right-wing extremists of which 11,384 involved displaying swastikas or giving the Nazi salute.
Read full original article by M. Lutz and U. Müller in German
Photo credit - kejoli
