In recent years, far-right extremism has been gaining ground in Germany. Neo-Nazi groups are becoming more visible, more organized, and more accepted in public life. They march through towns, rally in parks, run for office — and win votes. The situation is no longer subtle. What’s unfolding is a clear confrontation between democracy and fascism, between memory and denial. What was once fringe is becoming familiar. Hate symbols reappear under new names. Former taboos are now political platforms. The normalization is steady, deliberate, and largely unchallenged in many parts of the country.
The Quiet Rise documents the visible and hidden manifestations of neo-Nazi activities and far-right extremism in Germany. The story focuses on the silent presence of extremism embedded within ordinary environments — a presence that grows stronger each day. More individuals are joining these movements, their influence expanding as history threatens to repeat itself. The work traces the fragile tension between democratic values and the threat posed by authoritarian and exclusionary ideologies. It highlights the societal divisions, coded gestures, and collective silences that allow extremist beliefs to take root within the fabric of everyday life. The Quiet Rise serves as both a record and a reflection on the normalization of intolerance and hate within modern European society. Not of something past — but of what is happening now. The difference now is how many are willing to look away.
The Quiet Rise
Voting booths in Berlin during a regional election Far-right parties including the AfD have gained support across Germany reshaping the political landscape
The Quiet Rise
Supporters of far-right groups watch and boo left-wing demonstrators during an anti-neo-Nazi protest in Demmin Each year the town becomes a flashpoint between far-right marchers and anti-fascist counter-protests
The Quiet Rise
Young men from the Junge Nationalisten the youth organization of Germany s far-right NPD party gather at a nationalist rally The group is classified as extremist by German intelligence services and promotes ethnonationalist and anti-democratic ideologies
The Quiet Rise
Lukas name changed 22 a member of the Junge Nationalisten the youth wing of Germany s far-right NPD party poses anonymously I just want Germany to be for Germans again he said They call that hate now but to me it s just common sense He claims he s not a neo-Nazi but identifies with what he calls a traditional proud white German identity Lukas insisted the media distorts their goals We re not monsters We re patriots But that word doesn t mean anything anymore does it he added
The Quiet Rise
Riot police observe a far-right demonstration from a hillside in Riesa Germany Law enforcement presence at such events has increased as tensions between extremist groups and counter-protesters continue to rise
The Quiet Rise
Far-right activists take part in a night march in Demmin Germany Many carry imperial German flags a common symbol used by neo-Nazi groups to circumvent the ban on swastikas and other Nazi insignia
The Quiet Rise
Marcel name changed 24 a member of the Junge Nationalisten poses in a residential backyard in G ttingen Germany We don t call ourselves Nazis We are patriots We protect our land They want to destroy everything we stand for he said We re not the extremists they are he added referring to leftist and queer activists Every time we speak out they call it hate But we re just defending our way of life When asked about democracy he responded The system doesn t work anymore People like us get silenced It s time for a new order German security services report rising recruitment among young men particularly in rural and economically deprived areas
The Quiet Rise
German police with dogs block a road during a night operation Authorities routinely use tactical units to prevent clashes between far-right groups and counter-demonstrators
The Quiet Rise
Timo name changed 21 a supporter of the far-right Freie Sachsen movement sits in his shared apartment in eastern Germany He became politically active during the anti-lockdown protests and has since embraced more radical ideologies The politicians have sold us out he said They open the borders and suddenly we re strangers in our own country He insists he s not a Nazi but claims that Germany is for Germans and blames immigrants for rising crime and cultural decay When asked what he wants he replied Deport them All of them We need to take back control before it s too late
The Quiet Rise
A member of Antifa is detained by police during a counter-demonstration against a neo-Nazi march in Dresden Germany Critics have accused law enforcement of using disproportionate force against anti-fascist protesters while allowing far-right events to proceed under protection
The Quiet Rise
Sophie name changed 29 an anti-fascist activist and Antifa member photographed in her shared accommodation on the outskirts of Hannover This country has a history of looking away of letting things slide until it s too late she said We re not here to start chaos we re here to stop the next fascism before it starts Sophie who moved from Leipzig three years ago said she joined the movement after seeing increasing hate crimes and AfD rallies in her community We re not radicals We re the resistance
The Quiet Rise
A protest banner reads Nazis in den R cken knallen Shoot Nazis in the back during an anti-fascist demonstration in Dresden Germany Left-wing groups across the country regularly attempt to disrupt or block neo-Nazi marches though whether these efforts succeed in stopping the broader rise of the far right remains uncertain