German Neo-Nazi Rappers Spread Hate Speech and Misinformation on TikTok

German Far-Right Rappers Spread Extremism on Social Media, Investigation Finds

Far-right German-language rappers are circumventing hate speech rules to spread extremist rhetoric and disinformation across social media platforms, particularly TikTok, according to an AFP investigation.

One prominent figure in this scene, a rapper known as MaKss Damage (real name Julian Fritsch), posted videos on TikTok containing explicit antisemitic content. In one particularly disturbing clip, Fritsch compared the current situation in Gaza to Nazi Germany, suggesting Adolf Hitler correctly warned about “destruction caused by Jews.” During the video, his face morphed into an antisemitic demonic silhouette while he displayed a Germanic triangle tattoo associated with far-right movements.

“Back then it was Germany, today it’s Palestine,” Fritsch rapped. “This time, people are questioning and are disgusted. They listen to old painters talk and understand history,” he continued, in a thinly veiled reference to Hitler, who had artistic aspirations before his political rise.

The same song promoted an unfounded antisemitic conspiracy theory regarding the September 11 attacks, falsely claiming Jewish ownership of the World Trade Center was connected to foreknowledge of the attack.

TikTok removed all of Fritsch’s accounts after being contacted by AFP but declined to answer specific questions about its hate speech policy enforcement. Germany’s federal domestic intelligence agency has officially identified Fritsch as a right-wing extremist, and he has been named as a supporter of the far-right party The Third Way.

This investigation comes amid a concerning backdrop of rising far-right sentiment in Germany. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has experienced surging support as attitudes toward immigration harden throughout the country. Official figures from the interior ministry’s May report indicate a significant increase in politically motivated crimes, including antisemitic offenses.

Fritsch represents just one example from a growing group of far-right German-language performers promoting extremist views across multiple social media and streaming platforms. These rappers form part of a broader neo-Nazi online ecosystem that includes Holocaust deniers.

“The scene has become significantly more radical in recent years,” noted Thorsten Hindrichs, a musicologist at the University of Mainz. The domestic intelligence agency of Saxony has documented this expansion in their region. Despite apparent violations of platform policies on hate speech, AFP found many such clips remained accessible online.

The investigation also revealed a nuanced approach to Muslim and Palestinian issues among these extremists. Bernhard Weidinger, an Austrian expert on right-wing extremism at the Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance in Vienna, explained this paradoxical stance: “At home, they agitate against ‘Islamisation,’ portraying Islam as incompatible with Western values, but when it comes to foreign policy, they harbor quite the opposite sympathies, especially toward Palestinians,” believing Palestinians are “also kept down by Jews and Americans.”

Another prominent figure in this scene is E.Mar, who bills himself as a “patriot” and has amassed more than 96,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. His content frequently attacks Germany’s immigration policies, complaining the country is “letting anyone enter.” Appearing in videos with a black skull mask and German flag-themed clothing, E.Mar has generated hundreds of thousands of TikTok views with provocative lyrics like: “We are ready for war here: current politics makes you feel foreign in your own country.”

When contacted, Spotify stated it removes songs promoting violent extremism but may allow content to remain if it “does not explicitly incite violence or hatred against protected groups.”

German researchers note that neo-Nazi networks particularly favor TikTok’s live video function, which enables real-time interaction with viewers. Markus Boesch, a researcher at the University of Münster, described these livestreams as creating a “more private, intimate situation” that “might turn into some form of extremist recruitment.” Boesch observed posts encouraging users to join related groups on platforms with fewer content restrictions, such as Telegram and Discord.

These online extremist communities demonstrate remarkable adaptability. Tom Divon, a social media researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, characterized them as “not massive, but nimble,” frequently migrating between accounts. Ciaran O’Connor, a senior analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue think tank, noted that while these users expect occasional blocking for policy violations, they can “often return to the platform with ease.”

To evade detection, commenters employ coded language and emojis, such as blue hearts signifying AfD support or lightning bolt symbols referencing the Nazi SS.