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German government acknowledges hundreds of neo-Nazis still evading arrest

Monday, 17 November 2025 6:20 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 17 November 2025 6:20 AM ]

Neo-Nazis with German flags, including one young man with a T-shirt that reads "Germania," wait to be allowed by the police to resume a march on April 26, 2025 in Berlin. (Photo by AFP)

The German government has acknowledged that more than 700 neo-Nazis with active arrest warrants remain unapprehended, as fresh data highlights a sharp rise in right-wing extremist offenses across the country.

According to a Sunday report by the RND media network, officials disclosed in a written response to a parliamentary question from the opposition Left Party that 714 far-right extremists were currently at large.

The data showed that 115 of the wanted neo-Nazis had fled Germany, with Poland hosting 20 of them and Austria 13, making both countries among the most common destinations.

Of those who had left the country, 39 were sought for violent crimes, reflecting concerns that some fugitives might pose an ongoing threat beyond German borders.

Left Party domestic policy specialist Clara Bunger sharply criticized the stagnant pace of enforcement, saying, "The number of outstanding arrest warrants against right-wing extremists has remained at an alarmingly high level for years.”

“The authorities can no longer stand idly by; they must prioritize this problem."

The report coincided with a surge in right-wing criminal activity. Figures from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) show a record 42,788 right-wing extremist offenses in 2024, the highest level since recordkeeping began in 2001 and nearly 50 percent more than the previous year.

The escalation has intensified pressure on federal and state authorities to strengthen investigations and coordinate efforts to track down violent extremists.

This year’s most serious case that sent shockwaves through the nation saw German federal prosecutors file charges against eight members of a far-right cell in Saxony accused of planning to seize parts of eastern Germany by force and lay the foundations for a neo-Nazi mini-state.

The suspects were believed to have belonged to the group known as the “Saxony Separatists,” which authorities had dismantled during coordinated raids in November 2024.

According to investigators, the men were convinced that Germany was on the verge of collapse and were preparing to take control of territory in Saxony once what they called “day X” arrived.

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