Politics

Eight Held in Germany, Poland for Allegedly Plotting Nazi-Inspired Coup

NOV 5 2024·Updated NOV 6 2024

Story

Above: Policemen escort a man, one of eight suspected members of a militant group, after he was heard at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, southern Germany, on Nov. 5, 2024. Image credit: ULI DECK/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

German police have arrested seven members of the Saechsische Separatisten (Saxony Separatists) group, along with their ring leader, for allegedly plotting a Nazi-inspired armed takeover of Germany's eastern regions through "ethnic cleansing."
BBC News
Guardian
The separatists were reportedly preparing for "Day X" of seizing power through urban warfare, having acquired fatigues, helmets, and gas masks. Over 450 officers raided 20 premises linked to the militant group, which was originally formed in 2020.
Independent
The National News
While the seven separatists were arrested in and around the eastern German cities of Leipzig, Dresden, and Meissen, the group's founder, 23-year-old Jörg S, was detained in the southwestern Polish town of Zgorzelec in a joint operation with Austrian forces.
Al Jazeera
TVP World
Prosecutors on Tuesday alleged that the separatists had "racist, antisemitic, and in some cases apocalyptic ideas," and had trained in warfare for a collapse of the modern German state. They also claimed the group deliberately carried the same abbreviation as the Nazi party's elite SS militia.
Reuters
EuroNews
This comes after German authorities in 2022 foiled the plot of the Reichsburger movement — a group formed by a German businessman Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss — to storm parliament and foster new ties with Russia.
Dw.Com
Al Jazeera
The Reichsburger plot trial began in May. One of the accused is a former judge who is now a lawmaker for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which, in August, won a German regional election for the first time since 1945.
The National News
guardian

Sources Split

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CENTER

RIGHT

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CRIT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Germany's far-right now has unprecedented influence, even enough to garner considerable vote share. This rise echoes the pre-World War II success of Nazi factions, stirring significant alarm within Germany and beyond. With Germany's influence in Europe and its democratic history, these developments reflect a potentially dangerous trend.

Le Monde

Narrative B

The rise of far-right parties is often exaggerated to stir public anxiety, particularly in Germany. Support for such parties in Europe is actually modest compared to past elections. In it's most recent election, Greece's far-right secured only 12.77% of votes while, in Italy, Giorgia Meloni's once-radical party has shifted toward the center. The tendency to label diverse parties as "far right" oversimplifies the modern political landscape.

eKathimerini.com

Spectator (UK)