Far-Right Radicalisation Rising Among Children and Youth in Germany
Security authorities in Germany have warned of a new wave of far-right radicalization involving children and young people who organize online and show a strong propensity for violence. A comprehensive analysis prepared by the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office together with the public prosecutors’ offices in Stuttgart and Munich revealed that some online groups glorify terrorist attacks and call for imitation.
Thomas Strobl (CDU), Minister for the Interior, Digitization and Migration of Baden-Württemberg, drew attention to the extremely young age and high level of violence associated with the perpetrators. Noting that some suspects were only 12 to 13 years old, Strobl described the situation as going “straight from the children’s room to a terrorist attack.” He emphasized that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the police had prevented concrete terrorist plans in a timely manner.
According to the analysis, neo-fascist and far-right radicalization often develops unnoticed and at great speed. The networks in question are said to organize primarily via Telegram, which is why the phenomenon has become publicly known as the “Terrorgram scene.” In many of the cases examined, a significant proportion of the young people were found to be neglected by their families and living in social isolation.
The nationwide study, titled “Teenage Terrorists in Germany?”, reviewed more than 30 cases from different regions across the country. Authorities stressed that early warning mechanisms, close cooperation between families and schools, and coordination with digital platforms are crucial in combating online radicalization.