Germany’s campaign against Hezbollah has moved beyond monitoring the group’s activities and is increasingly focused on its alleged financial networks, support structures and organizational links across the country.

Berlin banned Hezbollah’s activities throughout Germany in 2020. Since then, German authorities have increasingly targeted associations, cultural and religious centers, fundraising networks and individuals they believe provide financial or organizational support to the group.

The authorities’ approach reflects a broader shift: rather than focusing only on people openly involved with Hezbollah, Germany is also seeking to disrupt the networks that it says allow the group to maintain its influence and raise money in Europe.

At the same time, German authorities distinguish between intelligence assessments and allegations that can be established in court.

According to reports by Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution reviewed by Nidaa Al Watan newspaper, or BfV, Hezbollah supporters have reduced their public activities since the ban and increasingly favor less visible forms of organization. The agency says the tighter monitoring has reduced their public presence but has not stopped activities linked to supporting the group.

German security agencies are particularly concerned about fundraising, support networks and financial or commercial relationships that they believe violate German law or are intended to assist Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The BfV says Hezbollah does not have an openly declared nationwide organizational structure in Germany. Instead, it relies on a network of associations and cultural and religious centers in several German states.

These organizations publicly describe their work as religious, cultural or social. They organize religious events, educational programs and internal meetings. German security agencies, however, say some of these groups provide an environment where ideological and organizational links to Hezbollah can be maintained.

The Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution has reported that around 30 cultural associations and mosques in the city are frequented by people who subscribe to Hezbollah’s ideology and Iran’s doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih, or Guardianship of the Jurist.

German authorities have continued to monitor Hezbollah supporters, including Lebanese nationals who also hold German citizenship. Some participate in public discussion events and religious gatherings, with authorities assessing their activities on an ongoing basis.

Money becomes a central target

Financial networks are at the center of Germany’s efforts to disrupt Hezbollah-linked activity.

On May 19, 2021, Germany’s Interior Ministry banned three associations — Deutsche Libanesische Familie e.V., Menschen für Menschen e.V. and Give Peace e.V. — saying they were linked to the previously banned Waisenkinderprojekt Libanon e.V., or Lebanon Orphan Project.

Authorities said the three organizations had been used to continue financial and organizational activities after the original association was banned. German officials alleged that money collected in the name of humanitarian assistance ultimately reached Hezbollah.

Another major step came on July 24, 2024, when Germany banned the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), which operated the Imam Ali Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque.

The Interior Ministry described the center as an important hub of Iranian influence in Germany. Authorities said its activities went beyond religious work and included promoting the ideology of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, maintaining institutional links with Iran’s leadership and supporting Hezbollah.

German authorities carried out raids at 53 locations across eight states as part of the operation.

The case demonstrated how Germany's approach has changed. Authorities are no longer treating Hezbollah-linked activity simply as a matter of monitoring individuals. They are increasingly targeting the financial, organizational and ideological networks that they believe allow the group to maintain influence in Germany.

The German response has also increasingly moved into the courts.

Authorities have opened cases against individuals accused of belonging to Hezbollah or supporting its activities. One such case involves the detention of a Lebanese national in Lower Saxony.

The case remains under judicial review, and the allegations should not be treated as a final conviction unless and until a legally binding court ruling is issued.