Far-right youth groups with names such as “Deutsche Jugend Voran” (German Youth Lead the Way) and “Jung und Stark” (Young and Strong) have been spreading propaganda and committing violence across Germany. Over the past two years, security agencies and experts have tracked rising acts of intimidation and attacks originating from these circles.
Perpetrators, mainly young men, have targeted LGBTQ+ people, those they perceive as immigrants, and youths they suspect to be leftists. Incidents have occurred repeatedly in Berlin and other cities, often around Christopher Street Day and Pride events.
On the morning of May 6, federal prosecutors and police launched nationwide raids against organized far-right networks. Some 600 officers searched apartments across twelve states, focusing on 36 suspects; no arrests were announced. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office is investigating groups such as “Deutsche Jugend Voran” and “Jung und Stark” as suspected criminal organizations because they openly endorse violence against political opponents.
Authorities say members networked via social media and held regular meetings. The prosecutor’s office alleges that some accused individuals attacked people from the left-wing scene, with victims beaten by multiple assailants and sustaining significant injuries.
Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig welcomed the operation, calling it evidence of a nationwide threat from violent right-wing extremism. The center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) warned that militant right-wing groups are gaining support, notably among young people.
In Berlin, where marches and demonstrations by right-wing groups have recurred, police and specialists note challenges posed by today’s far-right scene, which is less structured than in the past. Wolfram Pemp, head of the Right-Wing Extremism Division at the Berlin State Criminal Police Office, says youth groups are often founded, renamed and dissolved quickly, complicating policing and prosecution.
Germany has bolstered its response by creating specialized units to act swiftly on politically motivated crimes, especially involving juveniles. Searches and arrests are followed by rapid indictments or summary judgments, part of a broader effort “to prevent a career in extremism,” Pemp said.
For about two years these groups have tried to recruit young people. Their ideology draws on National Socialism under Adolf Hitler, and members often wear clothing and brands associated with neo-Nazi and skinhead subcultures. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said authorities do not tolerate calls for violence and are taking decisive action.
A recent report from April 2026 by the Berlin victim counseling service ReachOut highlights that children and adolescents are increasingly victims of right-wing attacks, prompting the establishment of counseling centers. Parto Tavangar of ReachOut told DW that victims often face obstacles when dealing with police and are sometimes recorded as perpetrators in investigation files. Tavangar urged that victims of racist and far-right violence be given a stronger voice and that their human rights be recognized.
This article was translated from German.