Briefing
The parliamentary group The Left submitted on 4 November 2026 to the German Bundestag a parliamentary question on the status of ongoing investigations into possible acts of support for the National Socialist Underground (NSU). The aim is to establish which investigations are currently under way, what evidence is still being assessed and whether there is any new information about possible supporters.
In its interpellation, the MPs point to unanswered questions that have been debated for years as part of efforts to examine the NSU case: suspected support networks, the way security agencies handled their files, and forensic analysis of confiscated data storage devices. Specific requests for information are addressed to the Federal Public Prosecutor General, the Bundeskriminalamt and the relevant state authorities; they ask for information on responsibilities, progress and the current state of information-sharing between the federal and state governments.
In comparable cases, the Federal Government regularly points out that details of ongoing proceedings are subject to restrictions to protect the purpose of the investigation, sources and the personal rights of those concerned. Similar caveats were also recorded in an earlier reply to a minor interpellation by The Left. The parliamentary group argues, by contrast, that scrutiny of investigative tasks and priorities is essential to address failings and restore confidence in the work of law-enforcement agencies.
The Federal Government normally has two weeks to answer minor interpellations, although extensions are possible. The MPs behind the questions want the response to reveal whether, and to what extent, investigations into possible supporters continued after the Munich trial concluded in 2018, and what specific forensic measures were taken.
Background: The National Socialist Underground was a far-right terrorist group held responsible for several murders and bomb attacks between 2000 and 2007. Federal and state parliamentary inquiry committees previously identified numerous shortcomings in investigations and coordination between authorities. Whether the full transparency now sought by The Left is possible will depend on the need to protect ongoing investigations.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).