THE SILENT TAKEOVER - How Enemies of Democracy Are Hijacking the State

The first systematic analysis of how anti-democrats specifically target and sabotage the judiciary, schools, police, and government agencies.
A matter of collective urgency: How can we better protect our institutions from infiltration by the enemies of democracy?

Police officers and soldiers networking in far-right WhatsApp groups; teachers questioning the very foundations of the state; lay judges challenging the rule of law; civil servants sabotaging projects: what often appears to be a series of isolated incidents is, in fact, part of a long-term strategy. For many years, Tom Mannewitz and Tom Thieme have been investigating how extremists - particularly those on the far right - systematically infiltrate state institutions.

The problem is far more extensive than generally assumed. Never before have government agencies, the armed forces, the police, intelligence services, the judiciary, and schools been subjected to such intense and systematic attempts by extremists to subvert them and place loyalists in key positions. For the first time, this book provides a detailed account of the strategies used to hijack state institutions and strip them of their ability to function. Mannewitz and Thieme argue for a targeted approach combining repression and prevention, and urge that the threat of far-right infiltration of our institutions finally be taken seriously.

"The authors are recognized experts on extremism and have advised security agencies for years. Far-right enemies of the state are already attacking our institutions. It is high time to take a closer look." DIE ZEIT

Publisher: Rowohlt Hardcover
Release: 14.08.2026
ISBN: 978-3-498-00958-8
256 Pages
Authors: Tom MannewitzTom Thieme

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Buchcover von THE SILENT TAKEOVER - How Enemies of Democracy Are Hijacking the State: Angriff der Demokratiefeinde auf Justiz, Polizei, Schule und Verwaltung — Tom MannewitzTom ThiemeTHE SILENT TAKEOVER - How Enemies of Democracy Are Hijacking the State

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Tom Mannewitz

Tom Mannewitz is a Professor of Political Extremism and the History of Political Ideas at the Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences in Berlin. His research focuses on constitutional culture, extremism, and democracy in Germany. He has published extensively on these subjects, with a recent focus on how extremists exert pressure on state institutions. He earned his habilitation in Political Science from the Chemnitz University of Technology.

Tom Thieme

Tom Thieme is a Professor of Socio-Political Education at the Saxon Police University. He earned his habilitation in Political Science from the Chemnitz University of Technology. His research and publications focus on the threats of far-right and far-left extremism across federal and state levels, as well as within political parties.