German police find Nazi altar in drunk man’s apartment

On the evening of December 21, Glauchau police received a call from a 53-year-old “heavily drunk” German man who asked for help.

“Upon arrival, the officers did not find a helpless situation in the apartment, but they did find a larger arsenal of cutting weapons, stabbing weapons, and firearms. Particularly noteworthy was the altar-like decoration of the objects in the living room, together with portraits and symbols from the time of National Socialism,” Saxony police said in a statement.

The resident was taken to a hospital that evening. The next day, law enforcement conducted a proper search in the owner’s presence, with experts eventually confirming gun law violations. A few weapons were confiscated.

According to police, the owner, who does not have a record of similar offences, behaved “reasonably” and voluntarily gave up “the considerable number” of “non-criminally relevant items,” including Nazi memorabilia.

The investigation is ongoing.

Germany’s interior minister, Horst Seehofer, said earlier this year that far-right extremism and anti-Semitism remain key security challenges to the country, with the number of people with extremist views constantly rising; 23,604 criminal offenses related to far-right views were recorded in 2020, which is up by more than 5% than in 2019, and is the highest figure since 2001, when records started. Seehofer said these numbers demonstrate a “brutalization” of society.

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