Seven individuals accused of being the German far-left militant group Antifa Ost went on trial on this week, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that resulted in the nickname “Hammer Gang”.
International terrorist designation and legal charges
Earlier this month, the US government classified the organization as a terrorist organization together with multiple additional European far-left and anarchist networks.
German prosecutors state the network was responsible for attacks on sites in Germany and neighboring Hungary between 2018 and 2023. Among the incidents is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in central Thuringia, whose venue was known as a meeting point for far-right supporters.
Some suspects are said to have using hammers against presumed rightwing extremists, leaving some with serious injuries.
Trial details and international connections
The trial involving six men and one woman is scheduled to continue until July 2026 in the eastern city of Dresden, Germany. A pair of suspects, named as Johann G and Paul M, also face charges for attacks in Budapest during February 2023, around an yearly gathering known as the “day of honor” that attracts far-right participants from throughout the continent.
Separately, another German activist, Maja T., is facing trial in the Hungarian judicial system for multiple charges of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis in the lead-up to the same rally in 2023.
Historical background and group hierarchy
The former East Germany has long been a hotbed for both far-right and anti-immigrant youth organizations, as well as the often militant antifascist groups that oppose them.
Prosecutors describe Johann G. as a high-ranking member within the organization, responsible for organizing violent acts and bringing in new members.
Together with Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where leftwing extremists practised combat techniques and rehearsed attacks. In storage facilities managed by Paul M, the group reportedly stockpiled tools, pepper spray, disguises and mobile phones.
Previous convictions and international reactions
Another militant previously active with the group, Lina E, emerged as a cause celebre within some far-left activist circles following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on suspected right-wing individuals.
The US designation makes group members ineligible to enter the United States, blocks financial holdings they may have within the world’s largest economy and criminalizes offering assistance to them.
The German right-wing Alternative for Germany welcomed the American move and called on the German administration to take similar action. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office simply stated it had “acknowledged” of the American classification.
“The threat posed by the organization has recently decreased significantly. Key leaders and particularly violent members have either already been convicted or remain detained.”
Government representative
