The number of far-right martial arts groups in Germany has grown to around 20 from around a dozen in June 2024, the government announced, quoted by DPA, BTA reported.
The increase was particularly noticeable in 2026, the German Interior Ministry said in response to a parliamentary inquiry by the “Green“ party, which DPA has reviewed.
The government also announced that it had identified “professionalization of martial arts“ among the groups known as “Active Clubs“ (Active Clubs).
The concept originated in the US and involves attracting young men to the far-right extremist environment through physical training and martial arts groups. Similar groups already exist around the world, DPA notes.
The government said there was no evidence of international links between German and foreign “Active Clubs“, but did not rule out the possibility of such contacts in the future.
According to the ministry, the groups continue to pose a potential threat of violence. As signs of an increasingly professional approach to violence, the department pointed to regular martial arts training in some of the clubs, as well as videos and posts on social media that encourage and demonstrate their readiness to defend themselves.
However, no direct clashes with political opponents have been observed so far, the ministry said.
The groups continue to keep their activities strictly secret, while at the same time making significant efforts to attract young men to the far-right extremist environment oriented towards violence, the department added.