Bright student called Maksym M was booted out of Blindow School in Leipzig

He claims his social studies teacher mistook his raised hand for a Hitler salute

'He reacted clearly by halfway raising his arm with his flat hand', teacher said

Headteacher even called in state protection over fears the boy was an extremist

A Jewish schoolboy was expelled for doing an alleged Nazi salute - because he put his hand up when his name was called.

Bright student Maksym M, 18, claims he was booted out of Blindow School in the Eastern German city of Leipzig because his social studies teacher mistook his raised hand for a Hitler salute.

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The teacher wrote after the lesson in official documentation: 'When I called Maksym's name, he reacted clearly by halfway raising his arm with his flat hand stretching upwards.'

Bindow School in Leipzig, Germany, where the student was kicked out of class for the 'salute'

A teacher at the school, which is picutred, said Maksym M did a Nazi salute in her classroom

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The teacher also noted some of the reactions of his classmates and said: 'One said Maksym tried to blind out the sun.

'Another said he was a foreigner and could not have meant it that way.'

Despite fellow students collecting signatures to support their classmate, he was dismissed without notice.

Maksym claimed neither he nor his parents were given the chance to tell their side of the story to school authorities.

Headteacher Michael Blindow even called in the State Protection Office after he perceived Maksym as an 'extremist danger to society'.

Headteacher Michael Blindow suspected the student was an 'extremist danger to society'

The public prosecutor's office in Leipzig has come to the conclusion that there was no criminal offence, terminating the procedure against Maksym.

Dr Mario Mueller, who represents the student's family, is convinced that the teacher was 'overstrained'.

Under the German Criminal Code, article 86a - the anti-Nazi law - outlaws the 'use of symbols of unconstitutional organisations' outside of the contexts of 'art or science, research or teaching'.

This involves for example the Hitler salute, as well as drawing swastikas or joining right-wing extremist groups.

Maksym's parents said: 'Our son was punished for something he did not do.

'We are expecting an apology from the headmaster.'

Headteacher Michael Blindow has not replied to requests for comment.

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Maksym's nationality was not mentioned in reports.