Reich citizen from Löcknitz sentenced: 46 months in prison for weapons offenses!

Reich citizen from Löcknitz sentenced: 46 months in prison for weapons offenses!

Arms trafficking in the framework: The Pasewalk district court recently sentenced a 56-year-old Reich citizen from Löcknitz to a prison sentence of three years and ten months. This happened because of the illegal acquisition of weapons and ammunition that fall under the War Weapons Control Act. During searches that took place five years earlier, the authorities discovered two converted rifles, a crossbow pistol and more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition in a garage in Löcknitz. Such numbers are alarming and highlight the dangers posed by right-wing extremist groups. As NDR reports, this garage complex not only served as a storage facility, but also as a regular meeting place for right-wing extremists.

In January 2020, the police searched a commercial hall and a celebration hall that was considered illegal. These garages had even been converted into an event room with a stage, bar, heating and cash register. It is further evidence that right-wing extremist structures have firmly established themselves in this region. The convicted person was also known for his political activities in the NPD and was already under surveillance by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Despite the seriousness of the allegations, he rejected the court as an instance and was taken into custody at the start of the trial.

Autumn of right-wing extremism

But as explosive as the situation surrounding the Löcknitz citizen is, it is part of a larger problem. According to a response from the Federal Ministry of the Interior to a small question in the Bundestag, almost 1,500 right-wing extremists and Reich citizens had a firearms license at the end of 2023, as [Zeit](https://www.zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2025-02/reichsbuerger-rechtsextremisten- Waffenhaben-kleine-anfrage) notes. At this point in time, 1,039 right-wing extremists, 393 Reich citizens and self-administrators as well as 37 people from the area of ​​“delegitimization of the state relevant to the protection of the constitution” had weapons permits. Experts warn that the number of unreported cases could be significantly higher.

The pressure on the authorities is growing because after a fatal incident in 2016 in which a Reich citizen shot a police officer, the state authorities are making intensive efforts to disarm this scene. The numbers are also alarming: Right-wing extremist violent crimes rose by 11.6% in 2024 to a total of 1,281, while the total number of right-wing extremist crimes increased by 47.4% and now stands at 37,835 offenses. This shows that the right-wing extremist base is still very popular in Germany and that the laws on gun ownership are not working for many people.

A look into the future

A comprehensive disarmament of the right-wing scene still seems to be a long way off. This is particularly worrying when you consider that the number of violent right-wing extremists has increased to around 15,300 and the total right-wing extremist potential will have increased to 50,250 in 2024. This development cannot be ignored because it could have significant consequences for social peace and security in Germany. As Verfassungsschutz reports, the focus of such groups is increasingly being drawn to issues such as asylum, migration and anti-queer sentiment, which could further exacerbate social polarization.

So the authorities have a lot of work to do to address the growing problem of right-wing extremism and the threats from the Reich citizen milieu. At the moment we can only hope that the verdict against Löcknitzer is a signal to everyone that we are serious about security in our communities.