Court hands prison sentences to members of "Letzte Verteidigungswelle" far-right group

According to the indictment and earlier reporting, two members of the group travelled to Schmölln in Thuringia in January of the previous year and attempted to set fire to an asylum-seeker accommodation using pyrotechnics. The blaze failed to spread, and no one was injured, but investigators said the attempt was part of a broader pattern of planned attacks the group is accused of preparing across several eastern German states.

Background to the case

The case had its origins in coordinated police raids in Brandenburg, Hessen, Sachsen, Thüringen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Investigators from those states worked alongside federal prosecutors to build the terrorism case. Searches in the city of Altdöbern, in Brandenburg, yielded material that prosecutors said linked the suspects to one another and to the alleged plot.

During the trial, which opened in Hamburg earlier this year, the prosecution presented evidence that the defendants had exchanged messages and coordinated reconnaissance of potential targets, including refugee shelters. Defence lawyers challenged the reliability of some intercepted communications and the classification of the group as a terrorist organization, arguing that the suspects were young and ideologically confused rather than organized militants.

In its ruling on Wednesday, the court found that the prosecution had proven the core allegations, including membership in a terrorist organization and an attempted serious arson attack on a building used for accommodation. The judges imposed prison sentences on the convicted defendants, with the length of each term reflecting the individual's role and conduct. The court did not publish full reasoning on Wednesday, but the written judgment is expected to follow in the coming weeks.

Court ruling and appeal rights

A spokesperson noted after the verdict: "Wednesday's rulings can still be appealed." The defendants therefore have the right to lodge appeals against both conviction and sentence before a higher court. Until any appeal is decided, the convicted members will remain in custody under the terms of their pretrial detention.

The verdict comes amid renewed debate in Germany about the strength of the country's response to young right-wing extremists. Federal and state authorities have opened a string of investigations into loosely networked groups that share online propaganda and occasionally move toward violent action. Officials have pointed to the "Letzte Verteidigungswelle" case as evidence that the threat has not receded even as overall far-right protest activity has fluctuated.

Reactions in the courtroom were muted. Several defendants showed no visible emotion when the sentences were read out, while relatives and supporters in the public gallery looked on silently. Outside the court, a small group of counter-protesters gathered, holding signs criticizing far-right ideology. Police kept the two sides separated and there were no reports of clashes.

Broader context in Germany

Civil society groups that work on deradicalization said the ruling should be paired with continued investment in prevention programmes. They argued that prison sentences alone do not address the social conditions and online environments that help recruit young people into extremist networks, and they urged schools and youth services in eastern Germany in particular to expand early-intervention work.

Wednesday's ruling does not mark the end of the legal proceedings. Investigators have signaled that further suspects and potential accomplices remain under examination, and additional trials linked to the group could follow. The federal prosecutor's office said it would review the written judgment before deciding whether to pursue further charges.

For now, the Hamburg verdict stands as one of the most significant domestic terrorism convictions of a German far-right group in recent years, underscoring both the seriousness with which authorities treat attacks on refugee housing and the lingering presence of organized right-wing extremism in parts of the country.