The Neo-Nazis — The Silent Rise of Fascism

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According to official German figures, there were 10,037 incidents of a racist or xenophobic nature in 1999. Racist incidents in 2000 numbered more than 10,000. The number of such incidents in Great Britain was 10,982 between April and September alone. Half of these crimes consisted of threats or intimidation. Many of them, however, ended in death, injury, burning or destruction of property. Those responsible were fascist gangs known as neo-Nazis.

The neo-Nazi movement became effectively organized in the 1990s. Before that, there were the skinheads of Britain in the 1970s. The defining characteristic of the skinhead movement were attacks on people in impoverished areas inhabited by refugees and foreigners. Only some of these incidents were racist. But in the 1990s, most of the skinheads took to racism and began carrying out racist and fascist attacks as supporters of Nazism.

At present, the neo-Nazi movement is growing stronger and spreading. They are active today in 33 countries and on six continents. They number some 70,000. The members of these street gangs are generally aged between 13 and 25 and use the Internet to communicate.

Neo-Nazis have different targets in different countries. According to one piece of research, they organize against the Turks in Germany, against the gypsies in Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, against the Asians in Britain, North Africans in France, people from the Northeast in Brazil, and against all minorities and refugees in America. In some countries, the unemployed and those living in poor areas can be chosen as targets.

These Nazi-imitating young people are mainly drug addicts, and unemployed street ruffians. They can be easily recognized by the Nazi symbols on their clothes, their shaven heads, and their tattoos, generally referring to their hatred of other races. In their slogans, language, and songs, they praise Hitler and vow to make his dreams come true: A world ruled by the Aryan race.

The kind of people who join these gangs are young, from dysfunctional families, badly educated, unsupervised, and with little self-confidence. By despising others, using violence and fear, they help deceive themselves into believing that they belong to a group that is superior to others.

Fascists in Our Day: The Neo-Nazis Since the 1990s, racist attacks by groups known as Skinheads have been increasing. These gangs generally consist of poorlyeducated young people, who were brought up in dysfunctional environments, have little selfconfidence, and tend towards all types of crime and violence.

Among their characteristics, we can list hatred, intimidation, threatening behavior, destructiveness, and harmfulness. The greatest perpetrators of these are regarded among them as heroes.

Neo-Nazis also have their own particular style of music. These circles regard music as a propaganda tool. The lyrics of their songs reveal their racist, paranoid and aggressive attitudes. The names of their songs and groups also carry the same message: with names such as "Vampire," "White Noise," "Battleground," "Razor Edge," and "White Warriors."

Fascism by Way of Music The neo-Nazi movement is developing as a subculture that is beginning to have an increasing influence on ignorant and problematic segments of the population. Music is a factor in the rise of this new fascism. Typical ideals of fascism, such as love of violence, racism and aggression, are inspired in these groups by rock and heavy metal bands, who are themselves influenced by neo-Nazi ideology

These groups are able to give concerts wherever they wish in European countries, such as Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom, attended by thousands of young people, and accompanied by Nazi salutes.

Neo-Nazis also have their own fans outside of their organizations. Football hooligans head the list here. Skinheads and various other hooligans have attended sporting events and shouted chants against players of other ethic groups or nationalities, even attacked opposing fans, and initiated fist-fights in the stands, that at times have ended in death. These gangs, even though they are not actually neo-Nazis, can also easily be aroused for neo-Nazi actions. By neo-Nazi organizers, they are seen as people who can be easily manipulated, because they also enjoy neo-Nazi music, and therefore, under the right mix of Nazi propaganda, can be rallied and called to action at any time. It is in this way that racist movements continue to poison the younger generation and win new adherents.

Hooligan Savagery The hooligans are another reflection of the developing fascist mentality. These groups have been responsible for attacks that have at times resulted in death. 39 Italian fans were killed in a fight as they were leaving a match in Brussels. In the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Switzerland in 1954, when Hungary beat Brazil, the changing rooms became a battlefield. The match is still remembered as the "Battle of Berne."

The reason why neo-Nazi movements in Europe have been able to become so powerful is the secret support they enjoy from the rest of society and from politicians. Many parties active in Europe today and under various names actually exercise fascist tendencies and actively support the neo-Nazis. Beyond this politicization, neo-Nazis think that they can achieve their ends by violence and street actions.

As we have seen throughout this book, this is a typical characteristic of fascism. Fascists think that they will not be able to win the battle of ideas in a democratic environment. They believe instead in the law of the jungle, and that right belongs to the strong, not to the conscientious. In their opinion, aggression and oppression are the greatest factors.