🔗 Share this article

A group of seven people allegedly belonging to the left-wing extremist organization the Antifa Ost network began their trial on Tuesday, facing charges for attacks targeting far-right activists that resulted in the moniker “the hammer group”.

Global terrorist designation and prosecution case

Recently, the US government designated the organization as a terrorist group together with several other European far-left and anarchist networks.

Authorities in Germany state the group was behind attacks on sites in Germany and Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the multiple attacks of a business proprietor in central Thuringia, whose establishment reportedly served as a meeting point for rightwing activists.

Some suspects are said to have using hammers against suspected far-right members, causing several severely injured.

Trial details and international connections

Court proceedings involving six men and one woman is expected to run until mid-2026 in the eastern city of Dresden, Germany. A pair of suspects, identified as Johann G and Paul M., also face charges for violent incidents in the Hungarian capital during February 2023, coinciding with an yearly gathering called the “day of honor” that attracts rightwing extremists from throughout the continent.

Separately, a different German individual, Maja T, is facing trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted violent acts against far-right activists prior to the identical event in that year.

Regional context and group hierarchy

Eastern Germany has long been a breeding ground for both far-right and anti-immigrant youth organizations, as well as the frequently radical antifascist groups that oppose them.

Authorities characterize Johann G. as a senior figure within the organization, tasked with organizing violent acts and recruiting accomplices.

Alongside Paul M., he is alleged to have arranged instruction courses where leftwing extremists practised combat techniques and simulated violent actions. In storage facilities overseen by Paul M, the group allegedly accumulated tools, pepper spray, disguises and mobile phones.

Previous convictions and global responses

Another militant previously active with the group, Lina E, became a cause celebre within certain radical left communities following her conviction in 2023 for attacks on presumed far-right targets.

The US designation makes group members barred from entering the US, freezes any assets they could possess within the world’s largest economy and criminalizes offering assistance to them.

The German right-wing Alternative for Germany welcomed the US decision and called on the government in Berlin to take similar action. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office simply stated it had “taken note” of the American classification.

“The threat posed by the organization has substantially diminished lately. The ringleaders and particularly violent members have received convictions or remain detained.”

Interior ministry spokesperson