Neo-Nazi Groups, Skinheads, and Violence

Abstract

As noted in Chapter 3, right-extremist parties have not played any significant role in national politics and only a minor role in Länder politics since German unification in 1990. While leaders of right-wing parties have held seats in Land parliaments and city and town councils, their contributions to political discourse have been minimal. However, on the immigration question, they have reinforced or reflected an anti-foreigner bias among a significant segment of the population. We must now assess the role played by the neo-Nazi groups and the skinheads to complement the study of the three major right-wing parties. In the 1990s, the government’s ban of many neo-Nazi groups that had openly operated in western and eastern Germany, as well as the jailing of neo-Nazis and skinheads, must be evaluated. As will be noted, the ban did not mean an end to the formation of new groups. These groups, partly forming the social base of the parties and partly separate from the parties, were again involved in violence against their traditional disadvantaged enemies — the dark-skinned foreigners, leftists, gays, homeless, and Gypsies. The new groups were small and more loosely organized than their predecessors, partly in response to the infiltration of government undercover agents. But in both instances they received significant support from conservative citizens. The causes for this support must be assessed to see why right-wing forces feel confident of eventual victory.