The long tradition of prohibiting extremist groups notwithstanding, a highly controversial political discussion is related to several dimensions of this kind of state response to radical organizations. Some simply hold it as not democratic to exclude particular political forces from the public debate by banning them. Others are more sceptic if such kind of action really weakens the particular political current or are even afraid of a further radicalization which might include more acts of severe violence. Those in favour of bans emphasize for example that such action is a strong political message and deters followers of the movement.
Based on a systematic analysis of the banning of extreme right organizations that was undertaken by state authorities until today this paper outlines different phases of the German prohibition policy, examines reasons why in particular periods certain groups have been banned and other have not, and discusses if and to what an extent the positive expectations as well as the negative fears related to this policy have materialized over the decades.
