There are moments when you have to wonder if anyone in this country is still paying attention.
While a climate activist in Bavaria is not allowed to become a teacher because her activism is supposedly incompatible with the constitution, a man like Björn Höcke once taught history and is now free to promote right-wing extremism in politics. A Stephan Maninger happily trains police officers, even though his vision of an authoritarian state hardly aligns with democratic values anymore.
And in Austria? Things don’t look much different when a Karl-Heinz Klement from the FPÖ was allowed to work in the education sector without interference. The shift to the right seems to have long since taken hold in the institutions.
When Hannibal gets to decide and serve at the table!
Haik Jäger, a former senior police commissioner from Ludwigslust, came into the public spotlight due to his deep entanglement in right-wing extremist networks and his active role in the Alternative for Germany (AfD). As a leading member of the prepper group "Nordkreuz," he and like-minded individuals planned right-wing extremist actions for what they called "Day X."
The group compiled enemy lists, hoarded body bags, and conducted shooting drills to prepare for an overthrow.
"Hannibal" was the online username of Bundeswehr sergeant André S., who, starting around fall 2015, acted as the administrator of a network of prepper groups.
In August 2017, the Federal Criminal Police Office searched Jäger’s apartment and found 3,000 rounds of ammunition and an illegal tactical flashlight. Despite these findings, the investigation against him was dropped in the winter of 2021.
Nevertheless, in spring 2023, Jäger received a penalty order for the unlawful possession of ammunition and weapons components.
Jäger was politically active in the AfD and was elected deputy chairman of the state committee for "Internal Security, Justice, and Data Protection" in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2018.
Despite the allegations against him, he successfully ran for the district council of Nordwestmecklenburg in 2024.
For years, it has been obvious that he committed serious breaches of duty. In doing so, he has severely undermined public trust in the police. It must not be the case that enemies of the constitution like Jäger continue to receive civil servant benefits. (As of 12/24)
The climate activist who is too dangerous for the classroom
Lisa Poettinger wanted to become a teacher, but the Bavarian Ministry of Education decided: No, too dangerous. Why? Because she advocates for climate action, because she protests, because she is active in groups that are classified as "left-wing extremist." But what did she do? Did she spread hate? Did she promote violence? No, she fought for a livable future. A professional ban as a teacher - because of climate protection? Apparently no problem in Bavaria.
But this isn’t an isolated case. Bavaria has a long tradition of pushing people with "too much" engagement out of public service. Loyalty to the constitution suddenly becomes very narrowly defined when it comes to people advocating for social justice, climate protection, or antifascism. But when it comes to individuals from the far-right spectrum - suddenly everything is generously overlooked.
Stephan Maninger: Police trainer with questionable views
And here we come to Stephan Maninger. The man who trains young police officers at the Federal Police Academy in Lübeck. What’s his problem? Well, Maninger has a worldview that comes dangerously close to an authoritarian state. In 2009, he wrote: "For decision-makers, increasingly fewer options remain other than the use of targeted violence." Targeted violence? Against whom? Against people who protest? Against all those who don’t fit the worldview? This is the kind of person training police officers, while a climate activist isn’t allowed to teach.
An internal investigation by the Federal Police? Of course, it "found no reason for disciplinary consequences." Sure, why would it? In Bavaria, demonstrating on the street for climate protection is enough to be considered radical, but someone who talks about "targeted violence" is still allowed to hold key positions.
Björn Höcke: From history teacher to historical revisionist
And then we have Björn Höcke. The man who worked as a history teacher before deciding to turn German remembrance culture 180 degrees. His words: "We need a 180-degree shift in remembrance policy." He called the Holocaust memorial a "monument of shame." He talks about a "population exchange," about an "ethnic replacement," about "well-tempered cruelty," which he deems necessary.
And yet this man was a teacher for years. A history teacher, no less. Just imagine what ideologies he planted into his students. And while Poettinger isn’t even allowed to pursue the profession, Höcke was part of the education system for years. Is that still a coincidence? Or is it a symptom of a much bigger problem?
AfD judges in Bavaria: Another piece of the puzzle
If you thought that was already enough, Bavaria has another surprise in store. AfD-affiliated judges now sit on Bavaria’s Constitutional Court. Yes, you read that right. A party that is itself under observation by the domestic intelligence agency is putting its people into the highest legal positions. How is that supposed to work? Who’s checking whom? Who is still making sure that democracy is being protected when the enemies of democracy are allowed to spread through the judiciary?
What is happening here is no coincidence
A clear picture is emerging: Those who stand for climate protection, anti-racism, or social justice must expect consequences. But those who spread right-wing extremist ideas, who advocate for an authoritarian society, are allowed to continue unhindered - or even get promoted.
Politics? It seems no longer in control of its agencies. Either people are looking the other way, or there is no longer the political will to do anything about this shift to the right. Public service, the judiciary, the police - all these are institutions that are supposed to be neutral. But if we look at who gets sanctioned and who doesn’t, we can only say: Germany has a problem. A massive problem. And it’s high time that it’s called by its name.
In Germany, many things are possible - we know that from our own experience. Those who remember will recall the Schotthof affair, when state criminal police officers and other investigators ended up in custody unjustly. Even then, it became clear: In Germany, many things are possible. That’s why we would like to end this report with the following original quotes.
Robert Mahler (former LKA officer)
"I was once told: In certain
areas, you shouldn’t be too strict. When it comes to the ordinary citizen, yes, but when it gets political, you shouldn’t cling too tightly to the letter of the law."
Stefan Sattler (former LKA officer)
"That’s when I asked myself if I was still on the right planet. You call out injustice, and as a thank-you, the public prosecutor investigates you."
Rainer Hofmann
"There were no rules anymore. Everyone involved with this case was filed away legally. Even the so upstanding prosecutor A. H. came under pressure because that’s what they wanted. I’ve known A. H. for a long time. We both gave lectures - he on computer crime, I on economic and military espionage. A legal man 100%. Back then, I already had another prosecutor in my sights for corruption, which years later led to a questionable conviction."
And so the question remains: How many times do we have to look back before we finally learn from history?
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