This presentation by political scientist Anne Herz and researcher Michael Krell provides a detailed analysis of the "Free Saxons" (Freie Sachsen), a neo-Nazi party that emerged from the anti-corona protests in Saxony in 2021. The speakers outline the party's origins, leadership (composed of veteran right-wing extremists like Martin Kohlmann), and core ideology, which is centered on a professionally branded call for Saxon secession, or "Sexit."
The talk explains the Free Saxons' strategy of functioning as a "cadre party" that acts as an umbrella organization for various far-right factions, including former NPD members and convicted terrorists, deliberately avoiding internal conflicts to unify the scene. Their approach is modeled on the NPD's "four pillar concept" (parliament, streets, minds, and alliances). Despite failing to enter the state parliament, their 2.2% vote share secured them significant annual state funding. The presentation concludes by examining their current focus on structural consolidation—media, real estate, and youth recruitment—and their complex, ambivalent relationship with the larger right-wing party, AfD.
The Free Saxons: An Analysis of a Neo-Nazi Network in Saxony
00:00:10 Introduction: Speakers Anne Herz and Michael Krell introduce their topic: the "Free Saxons" (Freie Sachsen), a neo-Nazi party, and their role in restructuring the far-right scene in Saxony.
00:02:16 Origins and Leadership: The Free Saxons party was founded in February 2021, emerging directly from the anti-corona protests. It is classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist group and is led by experienced neo-Nazis, including chairman Martin Kohlmann, Michael Brück, and Robert Andres, many with long histories in other extremist organizations.
00:05:53 Core Ideology and Branding: The party's central brand is the call for Saxon autonomy or "Sexit," portraying Saxony as a bastion of German identity. They use professional marketing, including an online shop with branded merchandise, to create a unified movement and appear more socially acceptable than traditional neo-Nazi groups.
00:09:43 A Cadre Party and Umbrella Organization: The Free Saxons operate as a "cadre party" with a small, hierarchical leadership core, rather than a mass-membership party. This structure allows them to function as a unifying umbrella for various far-right factions, from former NPD members to violent extremists and convicted terrorists like Rico Knobloch of the "Gruppe Freital."
00:20:43 The "Four Pillar" Strategy: Their strategy is an effective revival of the old NPD's "four pillar concept":
Parliament: Gaining seats in local councils to train cadres, gather intelligence (e.g., on planned asylum shelters), and create media spectacles.
Streets: Dominating public space with highly visible, uniformed protests.
Minds: Propagating their ideology through various channels.
Alliances: Uniting the entire right-wing extremist spectrum by deliberately avoiding internal conflicts.
00:22:50 Election Results and State Funding: In the state elections, the party secured 2.2% of the vote. While this failed to get them into parliament, it surpassed the 1% threshold for state party funding, granting them approximately €200,000 per year. They also won around 50 seats in various municipal and district councils.
00:27:28 Current Focus on Consolidation: With the decline of large-scale street protests, the party has shifted its focus to structural development. This includes building their own media infrastructure (TV studio, magazine), acquiring real estate (like the "Haus Montag" community center), and intensifying youth recruitment efforts through affiliated groups.
00:31:45 Complex Relationship with the AfD: The Free Saxons position themselves as the more radical, "true" opposition to the establishment, in contrast to the AfD. Their relationship is ambivalent, shifting between competition and offering themselves as a partner. They effectively serve as a political home for extremists who are considered too toxic even for the AfD.