Authorities in Germany and Poland have arrested eight suspected members of an extremist far-right group accused of planning to destabilize the state and foment violence through a militant coup. The arrests were made after a series of coordinated raids, involving over 450 police and security officers, across 20 locations in eastern Germany, Poland, and Austria. The suspects are alleged members of a group known as the Sachsische Separatisten (Saxon Separatists), a domestic far-right terror organization founded in late 2020.
According to German federal prosecutors, the arrests thwarted the group’s plans to instigate an armed rebellion against the German government. The group had prepared for a so-called “Day X” — a day when they hoped to trigger the collapse of state order, using military force to seize control of areas in the Saxony region and potentially other parts of eastern Germany. The group’s members had undergone paramilitary training, stockpiled combat gear, and made plans to use violence to establish a nationalist, totalitarian state grounded in “national socialism”—a reference to the Nazi ideology of Adolf Hitler.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the arrests as a significant intervention that prevented a “militant coup” orchestrated by right-wing extremists. She emphasized that the group’s plans involved violent attacks targeting both the state and its citizens, reflecting the ongoing threat posed by far-right terrorism in Germany.
The Saxon Separatists, with an estimated 15-20 core members, have been linked to a broader surge in far-right extremism across Europe. Their ideology is rooted in racist, anti-Semitic, and apocalyptic beliefs, with members advocating for the violent removal of “undesirable” groups through ethnic cleansing. The group’s leaders believed that the collapse of German society was imminent, and they aimed to fill the power vacuum by establishing a fascist regime in parts of former East Germany.
The suspects, mostly young men, were found to have undergone military-style training and accumulated military equipment, including camouflage fatigues, gas masks, bulletproof vests, and combat helmets. Seven of the arrested individuals were apprehended in the eastern German cities of Leipzig, Dresden, and Meissen, while one was taken into custody at the border town of Zgorzelec in Poland.
The arrest marks the second time in recent years that German authorities have foiled a far-right coup attempt. In 2022, the Reichsburger (Reich Citizens) movement, led by Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, a former aristocrat, was exposed for planning to overthrow the German government. The Reichsburger plot, which involved a network of far-right extremists aiming to create a parallel state, shocked the nation due to its detailed coordination and far-reaching ambitions.
Germany has increasingly been confronting the growing menace of far-right extremism, with domestic terror organizations like the Sachsische Separatisten and the Reichsburger movement targeting the very foundations of the country’s democratic institutions. The arrests are a stark reminder of the persistent danger posed by far-right radicalization in Europe, where economic instability, political polarization, and societal divisions continue to fuel extremist ideologies. The ongoing threat from such groups has led to calls for greater counterterrorism efforts, with a focus on preventing the spread of far-right conspiracies and militaristic plots before they can materialize into violent action.
The suspects, including several minors, will face charges of conspiracy, terrorism, and weapons violations. They will be brought before an investigating judge in the coming days as the investigation into the group’s activities continues. Authorities remain vigilant for other potential threats linked to far-right extremism in the region.
