The accused called themselves the "Saxon Separatists" — SS for short. It was an allusion to National Socialism: During the reign of terror under Adolf Hitler from 1933 until the end of World War II in 1945, SS stood for Schutzstaffel, an elite paramilitary organization. It was a central instrument of power and crucial in the planning and implementation of the Holocaust and other genocides.

According to German federal prosecutors, the "Saxon Separatists" prepared to overthrow democracy in Germany 75 years after the end of the Nazi era. According to investigators, the suspected right-wing extremist terror group was founded in the town of Brandis, near Leipzig in the eastern state of Saxony, in 2020.

"This was a militant group of about 20 people whose ideology was shaped by racist, antisemitic, and in parts apocalyptic ideas."

Raids in Germany, Austria and Poland

Eight men allegedly from the "Saxon Separatists" were arrested in November 2024 during international raids conducted in Germany, Austria and Poland. They have been remanded in custody since then.

Their trial before the Higher Regional Court in Saxony's state capital, Dresden, is due to begin on Friday, January 23, 2026.

According to the prosecution, the suspects were convinced that Germany was on the brink of collapse and on a forthcoming "Day X" the state and society would break down: "The members of the organization were determined to use this opportunity to conquer as much of Saxony by armed force as they could, in order to establish an independent state based on the ideology of National Socialism."

Liquidations and expulsions

The group is accused of planning the "liquidation" of representatives of the current German federal state. In addition, the "SS" wanted to "remove" people it considered undesirable from the area — especially ethnic minorities and political opponents — via ethnic cleansing.

Since its founding, the "Saxon Separatists" have continuously planned for what they considered the inevitable overthrow of the system. Federal prosecutors consider a suspect named Jörg S.* to be the ringleader. He was primarily responsible for administering communication between members and led paramilitary training.

Suspect shot during arrest

"Almost all of them practiced handling live firearms at shooting ranges in Germany, Poland or the Czech Republic and also worked to procure equipment." Suspect Kurt H.* was accused of attempting to shoot a police officer during his arrest. To prevent this, the officer fired at H., hitting him in the face and shoulder and incapacitating him.

According to multiple media reports, H. and two further suspects were active in the Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party. The party in the state of Saxony is classified as right-wing extremist by Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). In the view of the domestic intelligence agency, the "Saxon Separatists" are a prime example of how closely neo-Nazis are interconnected with the AfD.

AfD lawmaker employed 'Saxon Separatists'

The arrest of the suspected right-wing terrorists had consequences for Saxony AfD state parliamentarian Alexander Wiesner in March 2025.

The state parliament voted with an absolute majority to remove him from the chairmanship of its Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Law and Europe. He was accused of employing two alleged members of the "Saxon Separatists" who are now facing trial: Kurt H. and Kevin R.

The AfD has since expelled both men from the party, along with their fellow trial defendant Hans-Georg P. The proceedings beginning against them and five further men before the Higher Regional Court in Dresden could also provide insights into the international dimension of violent right-wing extremism. Investigators have found numerous clues about this.

The court has prepared accordingly for a lengthy trial: 67 hearing days have been scheduled until December 2026.

*Editor's note: DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and urges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.

This article was originally written in German.

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