The definition of thoughtcrime is that it is punishable to think something. There is not a single German law that punishes a thought (if you found one, please cite immediately because every German citizen can appeal in the Federal Constitutional Court against it). There is one thing that you as a US citizen might never have heard of but is essential to German law: the "Erheblichkeitsschwelle" - meaning that a crime is only punishable if it has an significant effect (e.g. damage). A thoughtcrime can by definition not have an significant effect because it does not realize an action or forbearance.

Most people in this discussion seem not to know this, so you see that what these people (whose homes got raided) must have had a effect on the real world to be punishable.

Furthermore, in Germany if you get charged with something at first there is an investigation by the police. The result is handed over to the prosecutor who decides if there is going to be prosecution (first hurdle), then it is going to court. The judge first decides if the prosecution is even accepted(!!!) (second hurdle) and THEN there is a trial (third hurdle). So it is not like these people are put in jail just because there is an investigation.

I am seriously baffled by the comments that lack significant knowledge of that the hell this news mean.