Author explains: – How the mafia wins Germany for itself

What methods and strategies is the mafia now using in Germany to gain a foothold there?
Mattioli: What is certainly clear is that the ‘Ndrangheta, the mafia from Calabria, is interested in building contacts and relationships. When we think of the mafia, we often think of violence and intimidation and things like that. In fact, in Germany people often try to create a win-win situation for both parties, that is, in a business sense. Mafiosi work together with German entrepreneurs, bankers or others, and both parties benefit.

What makes Germany so interesting for the mafia?
The reason for this is that the first mafiosi who came to Germany already had connections due to labor migration from poorer Italian areas. Germany is also a relatively rich country, which made high profits possible early on, for example in the catering industry. Moreover, Germany lacks the collective fear of the mafia that exists in Italy as a result of experiences of violence. Another advantage is German law, which makes it difficult to prosecute mere mafia membership.

And what specific examples of mafia activity in Germany can you give?
We must distinguish between illegal and legal activities. In terms of illegal activities, they are often active in drug trafficking, organizing the global drug trade from Germany and, in a modern form, also running protection rackets by encouraging innkeepers to purchase certain products. There were also attempts to gain a foothold in the waste sector. In the legal field, real estate investments and trading in restaurant licenses or banking transactions are worth mentioning, some of which are also used for money laundering.

Has the threat of the mafia in Germany increased? Is the government responding adequately?
The Italian mafia in Germany is closely linked to Italy. There were attempts to gain independence in Northern Italy, but they failed. In my opinion, this danger is not being adequately addressed in Germany. The ‘Mafia No Thanks’ initiative has been collecting figures since 2017 and the official figures have more than doubled, while the unofficial figures are likely even higher. In North Rhine-Westphalia the issue is taken more seriously than elsewhere. It is dangerous to ignore the increase and not take countermeasures.

Have you gained any insight into the activities of the Austrian mafia during your research?
In Austria, the topic of online gambling became important early on for several Italian mafia clans. My book is also about two people who are also active in Germany, especially in Münster. One of these Italians opened a restaurant in Linz and from there made contacts with Austrian entrepreneurs, such as a greengrocer.

How is research conducted for such an exciting but also dangerous subject? Did you have to infiltrate or did you meet the mafiosi in person?
The research is less spectacular than many think. It is mainly based on the study of documents, such as Italian court files, and access to judgment databases. Reporting in Italy is much more detailed than in Germany. My source work includes making contacts with people in the police or the Public Prosecution Service, both in Italy and Germany. By chance, in 2012 I came into contact with Luigi Bonaventura, a former boss of a ‘Ndrangheta clan who became a key witness. This contact gave me in-depth insights into the functioning and social structures of the organization. For security reasons I stay away from active mafiosi. In my work I want to make it clear that these organizations are not the romanticized characters from movies, but represent brutal and dangerous structures.