Have you heared about the largest left-wing terror network since the RAF in Germany? The “Engel – Guntermann Network”? I am not surprised, as it is surprisingly absent in media, and mostly referred to as “activism”. (see here https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250221-german-anti-fascist-activist-on-trial-in-hungary-over-alleged-assault ) The “perpetrator activists” have employed sophisticated tactics to evade law enforcement, including the use of fake IDs, wigs, stolen equipment, and burner phones.
Let’s have a look, what else these so called “activists” got up to:
October 2, 2018: A former Leipzig city council member (formerly a member of the politicaly irrelevant german neo-nazi party NPD), was attacked by four masked individuals outside his home. He suffered a broken kneecap and facial bruises. As a proud Nazi he claimed no women were involved, exoterating the women involved…
October 30, 2018: a neo-Nazi, was assaulted by two masked attackers near his home, sustaining life-threatening spinal injuries.
January 8, 2019: a 31-year-old canal worker, was attacked by five masked individuals, including a woman, for wearing a right-wing brand hat. He suffered severe injuries, including nerve damage and PTSD.
October 19, 2019: A group of 10-15 masked individuals attacked the far-right bar “Bull’s Eye,” injuring the owner severely and coming after him again two month later at his home. The assailants, armed with metal rods and a hammer, fractured his skull!
February 15, 2020: A group of six neo-Nazis was attacked by 15-20 masked individuals at a small station, leaving four with life-threatening injuries.
The Broader Network: International Connections
The scope of these attacks extended beyond Germany. In February 2023, a series of assaults occurred in Budapest, Hungary, where individuals believed to be neo-Nazis were targeted in broad daylight. Five separate attacks left nine people injured, four of whom suffered serious harm. The attackers selected their victims based on clothing or random suspicion. Hungarian and German authorities continue to investigate the involvement of 13 Germans and two Italians.
One defendant, having participating in the Budapest attacs, known as Maja T. and accused of “inflicting various life-threatening injuries” on the presumed neo-Nazis, was extradiced to Hungary, a decision that was severely criticised by a German constitutional court, which said it had failed to take into account potentially dangerous prison conditions in Hungary, especially for LGBTQ people.
“I am accused in a country, where I do not exist as Maja,” said the defendant in front of a packed courtroom, denouncing human rights violations in Hungary.
Right… How about not travelling abroad and strucking people with batons repeatedly?
Political and Legal Responses
The German government has condemned these acts of violence, emphasizing that extremism cannot be fought with extremism. Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser noted that the threshold for violence among left-wing extremist groups has lowered, leading to increasingly brutal attacks on political opponents. She warned of a potential “spiral of radicalization and violence” and pledged increased police vigilance to prevent further escalation.
Thomas Haldenwang, President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, described the case as emblematic of the high potential for violence and radicalization within parts of the left-wing extremist scene. While he stopped short of labeling the attacks as terrorism, he acknowledged that they represent a new and concerning development in left-wing extremism.
Public Reaction and Protests
Nevertheless, in 2023 the court’s decision to uphold the prison sentence of the network’s key figure Lina E. sparked protests across Germany. In Leipzig, an authorized demonstration with 800 participants was shut down by police at its starting point, leading to clashes between law enforcement and protesters. Similar protests occurred in Hamburg, where around 2,000 people gathered peacefully. Today the sentence for Lina E. was confirmed in the last instance of appeal.
A big no to any sort of Terrorism!
The recent wave of organized political violence in Germany underscores the urgent need for de-escalation and dialogue. While being stronly against far-right extremism myself, the use of violent tactics by anti-fascist groups risks perpetuating a cycle of retaliation and further polarizing society. The German government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and preventing further radicalization is a step in the right direction, but as long as the media portrays left-wing terrorists as some sort of romanized Robin Hoodish heroes, they might continue to attract mainstream sympathy. The message should be clear: Rule of law for everyone, especially for terrorist, no matter left, right, or anything else.
