Alarming pictures: Young people show Hitler greetings in Luckenwalde!

Alarming pictures: Young people show Hitler greetings in Luckenwalde!

In May 2025, a photo that shows 13 young people in the Luckenwald city park showed excitement. There are presumably Hitler greetings and the "White Power" symbol. Brandenburg's interior minister René Wilke also called this incident. In a statement, Wilke was concerned about the spread of right-wing extremist thinking patterns among young people, underpinned by the request from the CDU member of the state parliament Kristy Augustin, Danny Eichelbaum and Rainer Genilke. Eichelbaum even described the incident as an alarming sign of the increasing influence of right -wing extremist ideologies.

The minister's statement falls into a context that reveals alarming numbers. In 2024, the Ministry of the Interior in Teltow-Fläming recorded a total of 338 politically motivated crimes, of which in 196 right-wing extremism could be assigned to right-wing extremism. The increase in right -wing extremist acts, which increased from 130 in 2023 to 196 in 2024, is particularly worrying. This trend is not isolated; The figures in the entire state of Brandenburg speak a similar language. Here the number of right -wing extremist crimes rose from 2,453 to 3,609 - an increase that affects both young and older people.

young people in focus

An aspect that was emphasized in Wilke's explanations is the role of young people in these statistics. Of the 135 suspects in Teltow-Fläming, 37 minors between the ages of 14 and 18 and nine between the ages of 18 and 21 were. This development shows that right -wing extremist ideologies also gain a foothold in younger generations. Wilke appealed to schools and society to actively devote himself to this problem. Despite existing prevention offers such as "School without racism - school with courage", systematic effectiveness analyzes are often missing.

As part of a comprehensive balance of politically motivated crimes in Brandenburg, the Ministry of the Interior has also determined a decline in politically motivated acts of violence by 42 %. Out of 300 acts of violence in 2022, the number fell to 174 in 2023. However, this is in the strong contrast to the massiveness of the right -wing extremist crimes and raises the question of where this trend comes from.

A approach to society as a whole is required

Wilke emphasized that a total social approach was essential to combat these phenomena. Particularly noteworthy is the influence of social media on the formation of young people. The online world offers a platform where right-wing extremists can be easily spread and consumed. This leads to a radicalization that the ministry urgently warns. Eichelbaum has also emphasized that adolescents between the ages of twelve and 17 must be focused on the prevention measures in order to recognize and control the emerging extremism at an early stage.

In a broader perspective, the number of right -wing extremists recorded in Brandenburg rose as a whole, with currently around 3,650, of which 40 % are considered violent. Interior Minister Wilke and other experts indicate urgency to stop this trend before becoming normal. According to reports from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which are anchored in similar movements, the number of right-wing extremist motivated crimes also increasingly increases there. A look at the statistics shows that the cross -border topic of right -wing extremism requires a united and consistent action.

The situation therefore requires all available resources and the willingness of politics, schools, and society, to act together against emerging extremism. This living community and concrete measures could be crucial to protect the social climate and to make sustainable changes.