- The murder driven by hatred and contempt for human beings remains a call: We must protect democracy in every way with more determination than hitherto.

Right-wing extremists are threatening all those who stand up for democracy, says Edgar Franke, who is the government's responsible for crime victim issues. 

After a six-month trial on Thursday, the verdict came against 47-year-old Stephan Ernst who admitted that he shot and killed Walther Lübcke on the terrace at the politician's home in the small village of Istha.

The killer belonged to the far-right, neo-Nazi movement in northern Hesse and was previously guarded by the security authorities.

At the age of 15, he set fire to a house where Turkish immigrants lived.  

Wave of hatred

After Walther Lübcke during a citizens' meeting in October 2015 expressed support for opening a temporary asylum accommodation in the city of Kassel, he received a number of threats, including death threats.

The killer Stephan Ernst was at the citizens' meeting and afterwards spread a film clip with Lübcke that aroused a wave of hatred and threats online against the politician.

Despite other politicians pointing out to the security authority that Stephan Ernst was dangerous, the assessment remained that he had calmed down, and no longer needed to be monitored. 

The assassination of Walther Lübcke in June 2019, together with two other right-wing extremist acts in 2019 and 2020, was a wake-up call for the German government that right-wing extremism is a growing threat to democracy.

In the state of Hesse, a committee is now to examine whether the security authority has failed in its task of monitoring a dangerous extremist. 

- We must protect municipal politicians, both professional and leisure politicians much better than so far, says Edgar Franke. 

Considered particularly dangerous

A man who was charged with aiding and abetting murder was acquitted, but sentenced to a suspended sentence for illegal possession of a weapon.

During the trial, the killer apologized to the victim's relatives and said he wanted to undergo a defection program to leave the far-right environment.

But the court considers him in the verdict to be particularly dangerous, which makes it more difficult for him to have his sentence shortened.

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Here are three right-wing extremist acts that have shaken Germany.

Photo: Niclas Berglund