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A group of seven people accused of being the German far-left militant group Antifa Ost began their trial on Tuesday, accused for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that earned them the nickname “the hammer group”.

International terror listing and legal charges

Recently, the US government designated Antifa Ost as a terrorist organization together with several other left-wing extremist and anarchist networks.

Authorities in Germany state the network was responsible for attacks on sites in Germany and Hungary from 2018 through 2023. Included in the allegations is the repeated targeting of a restaurant owner in Thuringia, whose venue reportedly served as a meeting point for rightwing activists.

Certain individuals are allegedly accused of employing hammers against suspected far-right members, causing several severely injured.

Court proceedings and cross-border allegations

Court proceedings involving six men and one woman is expected to run until July 2026 in the eastern city of Dresden. A pair of suspects, identified as Johann G. and Paul M., are additionally accused for attacks in Budapest during February 2023, around an annual event known as the “day of honour” that attracts rightwing extremists from across Europe.

Separately, a different German individual, Maja T., is facing trial in Hungary for multiple charges of attempted violent acts against neo-Nazis prior to the identical event in 2023.

Regional context and organizational structure

The former East Germany has historically served as a hotbed for both far-right and anti-immigration youth organizations, as well as the frequently radical antifascist groups that oppose them.

Prosecutors describe Johann G. as a senior figure within Antifa Ost, responsible for planning attacks and recruiting accomplices.

Alongside Paul M., he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where leftwing extremists trained in fighting methods and simulated violent actions. At depots overseen by the suspect, the group allegedly accumulated hammers, irritant sprays, concealment items and communication devices.

Previous convictions and international reactions

A different activist previously active with the organization, Lina E, emerged as a cause celebre within certain radical left communities following her 2023 guilty verdict for attacks on suspected right-wing individuals.

The US designation renders organization affiliates ineligible to enter the United States, blocks financial holdings they could possess within the American economy and makes it illegal offering assistance to them.

The German right-wing AfD party applauded the American move and urged the government in Berlin to take similar action. In contrast, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the US designation.

“The threat from the [Antifa Ost] group has recently decreased significantly. The ringleaders and most aggressive participants have either already been convicted or remain detained.”

Interior ministry spokesperson