Neo -Nazis in Cottbus: attacks on diversity and the return of the bomber jackets!

Neo -Nazis in Cottbus: attacks on diversity and the return of the bomber jackets!

in Cottbus, a city in the heart of Brandenburg, has noticeably worsened the situation around right -wing extremism in recent years. On May 23, 2025, the left alternative residential project cell 79 was once again victim of an attack. Five masked attackers tried to break up the front door and lit Bengal torch in the back yard, which triggered a fire. Fortunately, the residents were able to quickly extinguish the fire inside, but the slogans like "Adolf Hitler Hooligans" testify to the aggressiveness of the perpetrators, which are attributed to the increasingly strengthening neo -Nazi scene in Cottbus. Jungle World reports that the young people neo-Nazis are strongly shaped by the image of violent football fans in their appearance. In particular, the fan base of FC Energie Cottbus plays a central role in this dangerous network.

This solid scene is closely linked to the small party "The III. Weg" and its youth organization, the National Revolutionary Youth (NRJ). Both groups contribute to mobilizing and organizing young right -wing extremists. There are also major connections to the classic Cottbus Nazi scene and the football environment. The attackers of May 23 could be an example of a tactic that is linked to the so-called baseball batons of the 1990s, where the style of bomber jackets, a popular piece of clothing in East German Nazi skins, is very popular.

The situation of the fan scene

FC Energie Cottbus is aware of the problem and has been actively looking for paths for two years to act against the influence of the right ultras and its demonstrations of power in the stadium. A large banner on the north grandstand is interpreted as a symbol of the right-wing extremist Ultra Group Inferno Cottbus in 1999, which officially dissolved in 2017, but is still active. The Brandenburg Constitutional Protection estimates the number of right-wing extremists in Cottbus to around 170 and assumes that the neo-Nazi scene in the city has developed into one of the best organized in eastern Germany, such as [Deutschlandfunk Kultur] (https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/RechtSextremism-in-der-der-der-der- 100.html) reported.

The problem is not only limited to the city, but also moves to the surrounding regions. Recently, Mayor Holger Kelch emphasized that the challenges of right -wing extremism are concerned with all of South Brandenburg. Several initiatives, such as "Energy fans against Nazis", have positioned themselves against right-wing extremism, but are repeatedly under pressure by neo-Nazis. Last week there was a crisis discussion between the association, the protection of the constitution and the city leaders to develop solutions.

Common commitment to right

The city of Cottbus has set itself the goal of increasing against right -wing extremist currents. At a meeting between the “Cottbuser Aufbruch” association and the “Uniform Südbrandenburg” initiative, the need for long -term commitment became clear. Everyone involved agreed that the areas of business, media, sport, culture, family, day care center, school and science must not be left to the right -wing extremist. Managing Director of the “Cottbus NaziFrei” initiative expressed sharp criticism of the current measures of the city and the association and demanded more efficient solutions to effectively reduce the influence of the neo -Nazi scene. The protection of the constitution even observes a tactical change among the right -wing extremists who withdraw from the public, which further complicates the situation.

Mayor Tobias Schick (SPD) has made it clear in his public explanations that right -wing extremism is the greatest threat to democracy and freedom in Germany. It is therefore essential to tackle these currents together and to support the threatened and attacked projects in the region. The initiative “Safe Places” founded in the region has also set itself the goal of offering support and support in order to prepare themselves against these attacks.