We would like to thank all those who document, archive and disclose neo-Nazi activities. Without thousands of photos of right-wing rock concerts or archives of neo-Nazi periodicals, to name just two examples, this research would not have been possible.

For us, there is one premise that hovers over everything: We don’t believe anything a neo-Nazi dropout says until it can be substantiated and proven. To do this, we looked through tens of thousands of pictures, pored over thousands of pages of files, spoke to other dropouts and consulted experts.

“Michael” answered our questions in hour-long interviews. We compared and sorted his answers and asked for further details. What is his genuine knowledge and what is hearsay? What could “Michael” have read up on and what is actually new?

We have compiled contact persons, groups, places and events in an obsidian database. More than 70 extensive supporting documents underpin the individual statements of “Michael”, which have been transformed into a virtual world by On Point Studios.

Our aim is to shed light on the dangers posed by the militant and right-wing terrorist scene. Much of the information in “Michael’s” stories may be familiar to those in the know, but there is news hidden in his confessions. A few excerpts, organized by topic:

Völkische Jugend

From an early age, Michael was brought up to be a staunch neo-Nazi. His grandfather, who was in the Wehrmacht, indoctrinated him with “racial doctrine” and showed him weapons. Michael spent his youth in militant camps run by an association of displaced persons and was given a nationalist upbringing there.

Objekt 21

Michael’s statements suggest that although the authorities disbanded the neo-Nazi network “Objekt 21” in 2013, the leaders continued to operate from prison. The criminal structure still has links from Austria to Germany today.

Enemy Lists

Time after time, so-called “enemy lists” are found during raids against terrorist groups. In the documentary series, Michael describes how the collection of personal data works. In the NSU complex, for example, it is still not clear how the core NSU trio selected their murder victims.

Bruderschaft Thüringen

With regard to the “Bruderschaft Thüringen”, Michael says that they not only dealt in drugs, but were also involved in arms trafficking. He claims to have been a courier himself. The public prosecutor’s office responsible does not want to comment, citing ongoing investigations.

Support of fascist terrorism

For years, Michael was involved in the right-wing rock scene, where there are strong overlaps with the right-wing terrorist milieu. He claims to have seen Beate Zschäpe at a concert years before the NSU trio unmasked themselves. Such stories keep coming up. We investigate. The president of the Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution initially confirmed in an interview – contrary to all known information – that concert visits were known. In response to a subsequent written question, we were told that no information was available.

Michael’s reports provide an exemplary insight into socialization in the extreme right-wing scene. From nationalist tent camps to training for D-Day to organized crime and how friends become comrades and accomplices in criminal activities. His statements provide further clues and research approaches that need to be followed up in the future. Despite the deep insights into extreme right-wing structures, blind spots and unanswered questions remain in various places.

We would like to thank sendefähig and ZDF for making this lengthy research possible and for having our backs. The documentary series “Geständnisse eines Neonazis” is available in the ZDF Mediathek. First broadcast on linear television: Episode 1, 10.05.23, 10:15 p.m.; Episode 2, 17.05.23, 10:45 p.m.

Dennis Leiffels, David Speier and I wrote up “Michael’s” story as a report for the “Crime” page of “DIE ZEIT”. Published in “DIE ZEIT No 23, May 11, 2023”.