As someone who lives a mere train ride away from that Skokie demonstrtion, I would posit that you are just as likely to run into them in your own neighborhood. And I have concern over the possibility exactly zero times ever.
I’m gonna be wildly different from everyone in this thread:
I was in Germany a month and I saw ONE neo-Nazi.
Although I think the bigger question is, if you DID see one (or a group) why would they have any reason to target you? Why wouldn’t you have the same experience as a poster above, or myself, “oh I think that’s a neo nazi (walks to other side of the street/into a shop/ignores them) there we go”
Was there four years ago for two weeks and saw none.
We also saw almost no German flags - our German tour guides explained to us that Germans - particularly the older generation, are rather suspect of nationalism and jingoistic patriotism. Its changing a little with younger Germans, but you have FAR more chance in the U.S. to run into - say the confederate flag and jingoistic patriotism - than you do in Germany.
Have a nice trip. Its really a wonderful country.
Oh the flags are out in force right now Dangerosa, as they are every time there’s a world cup 
Lots of cars are sporting their national flags right now
As the OP acknowledges that the incidence of neo Nazism is rare, if you were to see someone sporting a swastika on the street in Munich, or Cologne, what do you fear? A physical confrontation?
As an American, the chances of being confronted by people that have viewpoints and opinions much more radical and different than your own is commonplace. Do you think Germans with differing view are more scary than Americans with differing views?
They did say the exception is during the world cup - but then they mostly go away.
Especially compared to the U.S. Where almost every business flies a U.S. Flag, every government building, and many many private homes year round.
My brother lived in Manheim for 3 years. Not only did he see no evidence of neo or regular Nazis, but he was tut-tuted for a very mild joke that made some reference to Nazis.
Yeah, this is exactly correct in my experience.
My previous landlord had a wooden shed behind my house that he stored his garden equipment (small farm stuff). His grandson, a teenager, liked to drink beer in the shed with his buddies when they visited.
During one of those visits the grandson wrote something to the effect of “only Germans are welcome” on the shed’s door.
The grandfather told me he was very embarrassed by it and was scrubbing from the shed’s door as soon as the kid left.
Couldn’t agree more. All countries have assholes. Germany has worked very, very hard to minimize the political power of its asshole population, and to eliminate asshole-related violence. Have they been perfectly successful? No.
But as a Jew-ish (atheist) guy, I’d feel safer in Berlin or Munich than just about anywhere else on the planet. And, in fact, both cities are on my list of places to visit in the next few years.
That’s all a misunderstanding. They’re actually big fans of Snake
I’ve heard quite a few claims that the NPD largely consists of police informants these days. Either way, they pose less of a threat to the established order than the CPUSA did in the 1950s.
Why not be worried about Britain where the BNP is a good deal more popular than the NPD is in Germany? What about France where the National Front won first place in the European Parliament elections? What about as mentioned earlier Hungary or for that matter Greece where the most blatant of neo-Nazi parties won third place?
You never know where you will encounter them. I was travelling in Italy and encountered a giant KK rally in the street.
Turns out there are a bunch of religious fraternities that just happen to dress like Klansmen.
The BNP are reduced to a handful of local council types ie the local government level that debates planning issues for a new car park etc. I know you are a massive political wonk Qin, have a look at UKIP to see where the rightward strain of English politics is these days. They have worryingly got a lot more purchase than the BNP ever did, or the National Front before them.
You are much more likely to be killed by a meteor… perhaps you should wear a helmet.
I’ll be sure to pass it along when Germany wakes up tomorrow morning.
OP, I’m an American who has lived in Germany for lo these past 18 years. In that time, I have encountered precisely zero (0) neo-Nazis and have been made anxious for my safety precisely zero (0) times.
Now, the grammar of the language, particularly that of changing adjective endings according to case and gender, is a different story altogether and definitely rates international sanctions and a strongly-worded letter from the UN.
Geez, I know Skokie had an infamous Neo-Nazi demonstration in the 1970s - in fact, it made Neo-Nazism in the US a topic for discussion (and even led to the “Blues Brothers” parody). Do protests regularly happen there now?
I think overt far-right activity is far more prevalent in Greece, eastern Europe, and by extension, the more depressed areas in eastern Germany, where there is high unemployment.
It can’t be that extreme if you’re going there.
The first time I visited Wash DC, there was a huge Neo-Nazi demonstration.
If you want to see Neo-Nazis, you’ll have to go somewhere other than Germany.
I was mostly comparing the BNP to the NPD, and I’d say the former is still rather stronger than the latter. I’m certainly not a fan of the UKIP either (which strikes as a British Tea Party basically) although I don’t hate them as much since they aren’t really Nazis at all.