According to Reuters, Hans-Georg Maassen, who previously oversaw protecting Germany from violent and extremist threats, is now under surveillance by the security agency he used to lead. Maassen was removed from his position as head of Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution in 2018 following comments that downplayed the danger posed by right-wing extremists rioting in an eastern German city at the time.
In the years since, Maassen has gained attention for his increasingly extreme views on immigration, making him a hero to far-right activists and a figure of influence in certain circles, including those connected to Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, an aristocrat who led a failed coup attempt in 2022.
Maassen claimed, “Germany is clearly afraid of me,” stating that the country is using its internal security agency to monitor him and the party he has established.
The BfV, the agency that Maassen previously led, declined to comment on the surveillance allegations, citing privacy laws. However, Maassen’s lawyer disclosed a letter from the BfV in response to a Freedom of Information request, confirming that he is extensively tracked in their databases of extremists.
Maassen has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for a comment, although a blog supporting him quoted him as saying that the allegations against him are baseless and unfounded.
Recently, Maassen announced the formation of a new political party, part of a wave of launches seeking to attract disenchanted voters who are turning away from Germany’s major center-left and center-right parties.
After leaving the BfV, Maassen’s shift towards far-right ideology has posed challenges for Germany’s security services amid the rise of the far-right movement, which is taking advantage of economic hardships and strained public services.
During his time as BfV chief, Maassen was responsible for leading investigations into neo-Nazis. Material released to him by the BfV shows that far-right figures repeatedly praised him, with one example citing praise from right-wing extremist Bernhard Schraub in a letter to Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, describing Maassen as an “upstanding republican.”
Thomas Escritt reported this story, with editing by Alexandra Hudson.
