However, in Germany when such an occurrence happens it is often time to worry, or at least be concerned. In recent regional elections in Germany the neo-Nazi, or to be polite and politically correct the far-right (openly Nazi parties are banned in Germany), Alternative For Deutschland (AFD) made huge electoral gains in the east of the country, formerly the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in recent regional elections. In Thuringia the AFD topped the poll and in neighbouring Saxony came a close second. This is the first time since the days of the Third Reich a far-right party has made such gains and must be cause for concern among anti-fascists and even liberal non-fascists.
A few short years ago this gang were virtually unheard of and the thought of them crossing Germanys mandatory five percent rule in a general election, to be held next year, is a real possibility. The ideology of Nazism has never really died out in Germany or, for that matter, many other European countries including the UK. However, this is the first time such a party has made such significant electoral gains. The German Judiciary has classified the AFD as a “suspected extremist” party although it is accepted the group does “not reject democracy”. The same was said of Adolf Hitler and his NSDAP who, after their failed 1923 Munich Bier Putsch, then embraced the democratic road to governmental power with the intentions of destroying said democracy. Such claims as “does not reject democracy” should not be given too much credibility.
The AFD claimed 33% of the vote in Thuringia which is a considerable tally, making them the winners of the regional election in that state. Ironically this is the same state which the NSDAP, Nazis, made their first regional gains in 1929 which, like the AFD eighty-five years later, polled 33%! Like the AFD the Nazis were virtually unheard of - apart from Hitler's nine months spent in a cushy prison - and in 1928 claimed only 2.6% of the national vote. In the regional vote of 1929 in Thuringia this percentage increased dramatically. Then came the ‘Wall Street Crash’ and the worlds capitalist economies collapsed, once again showing the instability of the capitalist economic system, and in Germany this collapse was an eradication. This financial crisis was music to Hitler's ears because due to the huge US loans which had propped up Germany’s economy in the Weimar Republic the effects of the ‘crash’ were mortifying. Hitherto Hitler had been ranting on about a ‘Jewish conspiracy’ which had never existed (and still does not) but he was not making many inroads on this theme, yet! He switched to attacking the Social Democrats and their policies, or his advisors pointed him in this direction, and the new approach gained traction.
The AFD claimed 33% of the vote in Thuringia which is a considerable tally, making them the winners of the regional election in that state. Ironically this is the same state which the NSDAP, Nazis, made their first regional gains in 1929 which, like the AFD eighty-five years later, polled 33%! Like the AFD the Nazis were virtually unheard of - apart from Hitler's nine months spent in a cushy prison - and in 1928 claimed only 2.6% of the national vote. In the regional vote of 1929 in Thuringia this percentage increased dramatically. Then came the ‘Wall Street Crash’ and the worlds capitalist economies collapsed, once again showing the instability of the capitalist economic system, and in Germany this collapse was an eradication. This financial crisis was music to Hitler's ears because due to the huge US loans which had propped up Germany’s economy in the Weimar Republic the effects of the ‘crash’ were mortifying. Hitherto Hitler had been ranting on about a ‘Jewish conspiracy’ which had never existed (and still does not) but he was not making many inroads on this theme, yet! He switched to attacking the Social Democrats and their policies, or his advisors pointed him in this direction, and the new approach gained traction.
In the September 1930 general election the Nazis claimed 18.3% of the electorate making them the second largest party in the Reichstag. By 1932 this had increased to 37.4% making the NSDAP the largest party in the Reichstag - see the relative comparisons! By November 1932 the Nazi vote was down slightly to 33.33% but they were still the largest party by some distance under German electoral rules of the time and were to become the government in 1933.
Just as the Nazis won in 1929 33% of the vote in Thuringia, the AFD polled exactly the same percentage in 2024. During these elections the AFD Thuringia regional Leader and Parliamentary Speaker, Bjorn Hocke, was fined for using “Nazi Slogans.” He constantly referred to Germany's “thousand-year future” which is not too far removed from Hitlers “thousand-year Reich” slogan predicting the Third Reich would, like the First Reich, last for one thousand years, lasting from the nineth to nineteenth centuries in the case of the Holy Roman Empire, often referred to as ‘the First Reich’. The AFD, or some of its members, have claimed that “not all SS soldiers were criminals” and Hocke often harped back to the German Empire prior to 1914. It will be interesting to see how these regional electoral successes transfer into votes and seats in the Bundestag after next year’s general election in Germany. To say these are not threatening times is an understatement as the AFD pedal their anti-Muslim hatred speeches in much the same way Hitler targeted the Jews.
In 2023 the AFD met with other groups from the German and Austian far-right and the major point of discussion was “remigration”. This is their plan for deporting immigrants including those of German naturalisation who are legitimate German citizens. This has the odour of the early days in Germany of Nazi rule when the solution (not the final solution) to Germanys “Jewish problem” was forced exile from the country. Of course, the Jews would have to pay for this forced emigration themselves and many of these souls had served Germany with distinction during the First World War. Many Jewish people could not afford the emigration fee or countries, including Britain, would not accommodate them and the end result is history!
The rise of the AFD since its formation in 2013 has been so far rapid relative to the number of years of its existence. Like their NSDAP predecessors which also started off slow then rapidly increased its share of the vote in a short period so too, it appears, are the AFD. In the election of 2013 the party narrowly missed Bundestag representation falling just short of the five per cent threshold. This was remarkably good, from their point of view, for the party’s first attempt. The AFD now claim the party has a legitimate right to representation and have a mandate from the people. It might be a little premature to say that because such a mandate has to come nationally in a general election. However if the AFD perform as well next year nationally then that claim cannot be questioned under German parliamentary electoral rules!
Just as the Nazis won in 1929 33% of the vote in Thuringia, the AFD polled exactly the same percentage in 2024. During these elections the AFD Thuringia regional Leader and Parliamentary Speaker, Bjorn Hocke, was fined for using “Nazi Slogans.” He constantly referred to Germany's “thousand-year future” which is not too far removed from Hitlers “thousand-year Reich” slogan predicting the Third Reich would, like the First Reich, last for one thousand years, lasting from the nineth to nineteenth centuries in the case of the Holy Roman Empire, often referred to as ‘the First Reich’. The AFD, or some of its members, have claimed that “not all SS soldiers were criminals” and Hocke often harped back to the German Empire prior to 1914. It will be interesting to see how these regional electoral successes transfer into votes and seats in the Bundestag after next year’s general election in Germany. To say these are not threatening times is an understatement as the AFD pedal their anti-Muslim hatred speeches in much the same way Hitler targeted the Jews.
In 2023 the AFD met with other groups from the German and Austian far-right and the major point of discussion was “remigration”. This is their plan for deporting immigrants including those of German naturalisation who are legitimate German citizens. This has the odour of the early days in Germany of Nazi rule when the solution (not the final solution) to Germanys “Jewish problem” was forced exile from the country. Of course, the Jews would have to pay for this forced emigration themselves and many of these souls had served Germany with distinction during the First World War. Many Jewish people could not afford the emigration fee or countries, including Britain, would not accommodate them and the end result is history!
The rise of the AFD since its formation in 2013 has been so far rapid relative to the number of years of its existence. Like their NSDAP predecessors which also started off slow then rapidly increased its share of the vote in a short period so too, it appears, are the AFD. In the election of 2013 the party narrowly missed Bundestag representation falling just short of the five per cent threshold. This was remarkably good, from their point of view, for the party’s first attempt. The AFD now claim the party has a legitimate right to representation and have a mandate from the people. It might be a little premature to say that because such a mandate has to come nationally in a general election. However if the AFD perform as well next year nationally then that claim cannot be questioned under German parliamentary electoral rules!
It is time to start taking the rise of the far-right across Europe seriously. Germany was the country of origin for Nazism, though not fascism in its generic sense, and if this trend continues could well be again! With the Presidential elections in the USA on the horizon and far-right sympathiser, Donald Trump, again standing for the presidency events should be watched with an air of anticipation.
In the 26 counties we too have our problems with neo-Nazism. Justin Barrett one time leader, who claims still to be, of the (Irish) National Party once stated that if in power he “would strip the Irish citizenship rights of local government politician Hazel Chu” who was once the Lord Mayor of Dublin. This is in spite of the fact Hazel is born in Ireland and lived here all her life. This same ideology of Barrett’s applies, in his world, to all immigrants who have Irish citizenship. This sounds very much like the “remigration” policies advocated at their meetings by the AFD? Since 2022 Barrett has publicly quoted Hitler's Mein Kampf and has performed Nazi salutes. In 2023 he appeared at an anti-immigration protest wearing a Nazi uniform and even though he was criticised for this act by James Reynolds, who now claims to lead the NP, it was not criticism of the uniform but moreover that he had discredited the protest! During the Dublin riots of November 2023 Barrett posted messages saying; “1000 people are already at the spire. All hand’s on deck. Defend our kids. I want the storm to break loose”. The last line has more than a hint of a speech given by Nazi propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, in 1943 about “total war” and “letting the storm break”. Justin Barrett has been the guest of another German neo-Nazi group (not the AFD) the National Party of Germany (NPD) where anti-Semitic speeches were given and SS quotes read aloud. Also present were Italian fascist groups, the main organisation being Forza Nuova (New Force) whose acquaintance and contacts Barret made. History has a terrible habit of repeating itself not only in countries bus also blocs like Europe. Are we witnessing the revival of a very dark past?
Also in the 26 counties we have other small far-right groups, apart from the NP mentioned above, who are now formatting relations with the far-right, loyalists, in the six counties. This in effect makes these right-wing headbangers, certainly at leadership level, loyalists themselves, standing arm in arm with union flag waving loyalists in Belfast!
In the 26 counties we too have our problems with neo-Nazism. Justin Barrett one time leader, who claims still to be, of the (Irish) National Party once stated that if in power he “would strip the Irish citizenship rights of local government politician Hazel Chu” who was once the Lord Mayor of Dublin. This is in spite of the fact Hazel is born in Ireland and lived here all her life. This same ideology of Barrett’s applies, in his world, to all immigrants who have Irish citizenship. This sounds very much like the “remigration” policies advocated at their meetings by the AFD? Since 2022 Barrett has publicly quoted Hitler's Mein Kampf and has performed Nazi salutes. In 2023 he appeared at an anti-immigration protest wearing a Nazi uniform and even though he was criticised for this act by James Reynolds, who now claims to lead the NP, it was not criticism of the uniform but moreover that he had discredited the protest! During the Dublin riots of November 2023 Barrett posted messages saying; “1000 people are already at the spire. All hand’s on deck. Defend our kids. I want the storm to break loose”. The last line has more than a hint of a speech given by Nazi propaganda Minister, Joseph Goebbels, in 1943 about “total war” and “letting the storm break”. Justin Barrett has been the guest of another German neo-Nazi group (not the AFD) the National Party of Germany (NPD) where anti-Semitic speeches were given and SS quotes read aloud. Also present were Italian fascist groups, the main organisation being Forza Nuova (New Force) whose acquaintance and contacts Barret made. History has a terrible habit of repeating itself not only in countries bus also blocs like Europe. Are we witnessing the revival of a very dark past?
Also in the 26 counties we have other small far-right groups, apart from the NP mentioned above, who are now formatting relations with the far-right, loyalists, in the six counties. This in effect makes these right-wing headbangers, certainly at leadership level, loyalists themselves, standing arm in arm with union flag waving loyalists in Belfast!
All republicans, republican socialists, communists and anti-fascists as a whole should be aware of this racist trend which is spreading like a malignant cancer through the island. It needs combatting and now, failure to do so may result in disastrous consequences for the island of Ireland and indeed Europe as a whole.
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
Not all Loyalists are right wing, I'm certainly not. I'm far more socialist and despise Fascists. A lot of older Loyalists were trade unionists in their youth too, and there is a very good reason why the old house Unionism decried those from the "Shankill Soviet".
ReplyDeleteBut to get back to the thrust of your article Caoimhin, why do you think the AfD is gaining traction in Germany? And why is the right gaining popularity more generally across Europe?
Steve, Loyalism was a right wing phenomenon in my view but quite a few loyalists do not buy into right wing ideology. I am not sure being a trade unionist immunises people against fascist ideology. One of the fascist state's strategies has been to incorporate the Trade Union Movement into its corporate state structure. Loyalist trade unionism seemed to be more about defending jobs for unionists.
DeleteA lot of the city loyalists also would have had little time for the bible bashers from the rural areas.
I agree with Anthony, Steve, loyalism always has been a "right wing phenomenon" by its very discriminative nature. The "hate Taigs" mentality not too far removed from the anti-Semitic hatred of "Jews" practiced by the Nazis. Trade unionists are not immune from fascism, sometimes fascist individuals and union members try to use the platform to speak.
ReplyDeleteFascism and Nazism have never been completely wiped out in Europe and particularly Germany. The SS had, and still do albeit a younger generation, hold their reunions openly in the former FDR. Such appearances by these ageing thugs, mostly now dead, impress the modern dispossessed youth.
Whenever capitalism is in crisis, as 1929, the economic system turns to the far-right ideologies for answers. The owners of capital, in todays world the transnational corporations, use fascism as an insurance against the rise of genuine communism and trade union militancy. Capitalism can not only live with but also thrive under fascism. It is a barrier against communism and true democracy with the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange. Peoples political thoughts are shaped by what they read in the newspapers and, in todays world, the internet which the far-right, as outlined in the blog, used in the Dublin riots to mobilise. That and the weakness of the left to combat fascist ideology combine to aide the rise of the far-right. Fascism is capitalisms insurance against workers solidarity and its own demise.
In Germany, particularly East Germany that was, Nazi ideologies were suppressed by the Stalinist regime, masquerading, wrongly, as socialism. It came as no surprise to me when the AFD won the recent regional election in the state of Thuringia in the former GDR. When I was in Dresden, with FC United some years ago, the trappings of the Nazi years were present. In the hotel hung a picture of the Battle of Stalingrad, not the end part where the USSR won but the early months of Wehrmacht domination. In the pubs Dynamo fans, some of them, donned Nazi swastikas tattooed on their arms. This was a new generation of fascists who had obviously been brought up on, and believed, the right-wing propaganda about immigration been the cause of Germany's problems, their grievances were not helped by the Stalinist regime they lived under. Not once, before the conversation got heated and could well have erupted (they were on home soil) did they blame the private ownership of the means of production for their unemployment. Not once when it was pointed out that the reasons they were paid less than their former FDR counterparts for comparable jobs did they blame the employers. No, they blamed, as the media had subtly told them; blame immigration and in particular Muslims. The media are experts at this across Europe not too covertly reporting crime and subtly inserting the ethnic or national origins of the culprits if they come from a minority group. It is reports such as these which the far-right fascist groups latch on to and magnify and some in the population believe this crap.
As the problems which are endemic within the capitalist economic structures become more and more apparent across Europe, including the UK and the 26 counties, then the far-right will exploit the situation. The five million unemployed, five million immigrants scenario! In Germany hospitals, like anywhere else, rely greatly on migrant doctors and nurses. I was taken to hospital in Hamburg following a football match and many staff were not of German ethnic origin. As economies slump further into crisis it is those who bear no responsibility for the crash who the far-right will blame and unfortunately, in many cases will be believed. Their arguments are simple and easy to transmit and be understood by the politically illiterate among the masses. Same old story repeating itself?
Caoimhin O'Muraile