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A group of seven people accused of being the left-wing extremist organization the Antifa Ost network went on trial on this week, facing charges for attacks targeting rightwing extremists that earned them the nickname “the hammer group”.

Global terror listing and prosecution case

Earlier this month, the United States designated the organization as a terrorist organization together with multiple additional left-wing extremist and anarchist groups.

Authorities in Germany claim the network was responsible for targeting locations in Germany and Hungary from 2018 through 2023. Among the incidents is the multiple attacks 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, leaving some severely injured.

Trial details and cross-border allegations

The trial involving seven defendants is scheduled to continue until mid-2026 in the city of Dresden. A pair of suspects, identified as Johann G. and Paul M., also face charges for attacks in the Hungarian capital during early 2023, coinciding with an yearly gathering called the “day of honor” that attracts far-right participants from across Europe.

Separately, a different German individual, Maja T, is currently on trial in Hungary for four counts of attempted assault against neo-Nazis prior to the same rally in that year.

Regional context and group hierarchy

The former East Germany has long been a breeding ground for both far-right and anti-immigration youth groups, as well as the often militant anti-fascist networks that oppose them.

Prosecutors describe Johann G. as a senior figure within the organization, tasked with organizing violent acts and bringing in new members.

Alongside Paul M, he is alleged to have arranged training sessions where radical left activists trained in fighting methods and rehearsed attacks. In storage facilities overseen by the suspect, the group reportedly stockpiled hammers, pepper spray, concealment items and mobile phones.

Previous convictions and international reactions

Another militant previously active with the group, Lina E., became a symbolic figure within some far-left activist circles following her conviction in 2023 for targeting presumed far-right targets.

The US designation makes group members ineligible to enter the US, freezes any assets they may have within the world’s largest economy and makes it illegal providing material support to them.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany welcomed the US decision and urged the government in Berlin to follow suit. However, the country's diplomatic office merely commented it had “acknowledged” of the US designation.

“The danger from the organization has substantially diminished lately. Key leaders and most aggressive participants have either already been convicted or are in custody.”

Interior ministry representative