The German government ordered a raid of homes occupied by members of a far-Right group, where it seized materials that could expand the influence of neo-Nazism.
More than 180 police officers in three German states raided the homes of 11 members of the group, dubbed Wolfsbrigade 44, according to the Associated Press, which cites the Interior Ministry. The raids were aimed at confiscating the group’s funds and propaganda material.
“Whoever fights against the basic values of our free society will get to feel the resolute reaction of our government,” said Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. “There’s no place in this country for an association that sows hatred and works on the resurrection of a Nazi state.”
During the raid, officers found knives, a machete, a crossbow, bayonets, and Nazi devotional objects such as swastikas and flags.
The group was founded in 2016 and became known for its anti-Semitic and racist ideology in addition to an aggressive online presence.
Members of Wolfsbrigade 44 were reportedly trying to abolish democracy in favor of a Nazi dictatorship. The “44” in its name is a doubling of the fourth letter of the alphabet, D. “DD” is an abbreviation for Division Dirlewanger, named for Oskar Dirlewanger, a known Nazi war criminal and commander of a Nazi SS special unit.
The German government banned other far-Right groups this year, including two named Combat 18 and Nordadler.
