BERLIN: In a significant move to counteract rising extremist ideologies, the German government implemented a ban on Tuesday against the neo-Nazi group, Hammerskins Germany.
This action was accompanied by extensive raids on the residences of numerous members associated with the group. Hammerskins Germany, an offshoot of an American right-wing extremist organization, has gained considerable prominence across Europe.
The roots of Hammerskins Germany trace back to the Hammerskins Nation, which was established in the United States in 1988, as detailed by the interior ministry. The group has played a substantial role within the right-wing extremist scene in Europe. Members identify themselves as a cohesive “brotherhood,” referring to their subcultural way of life as an elite form of association. They also perceive themselves as the pinnacle of the right-wing extremist skinhead scene, according to the ministry.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized the gravity of this ban, stating that it dealt a substantial blow to organized right-wing extremism. The prohibition extends to the association’s regional chapters and its sub-organization, Crew 38. “With this ban, we are putting an end to the inhumane activities of an internationally active neo-Nazi association in Germany,” Faeser added, emphasizing the message against racism and antisemitism that this action conveys.
In Germany, the Hammerskins Germany group comprises approximately 130 members. During the early morning operations across 10 states, the police conducted searches at the residences of 28 group members. As of now, it remains unclear if any members have been detained.
Preceding the ban, the German federal and state governments collaborated intensively for over a year, Faeser disclosed, highlighting the close partnership with American counterparts during this process.
At the core of the group’s ideology lies the propagation of a racial doctrine deeply entrenched in Nazi ideology. Hammerskins Germany aims to solidify its right-wing extremist worldview, primarily through concerts where they seek to radicalize non-members. The ministry emphasized that the group’s international networking predominantly showcases its right-wing extremist orientation through the dissemination of recordings featuring right-wing extremist and antisemitic music, the organization of corresponding concerts, and the sale of related merchandise.
This prohibition marks the 20th instance in which the German interior ministry has taken action to ban right-wing extremist associations, underscoring the government’s commitment to eradicating such ideologies from its society.
