Germany has taken a resolute step in its ongoing battle against far-right extremism by outlawing the Hammerskins, a notorious neo-Nazi group renowned for orchestrating far-right concerts and disseminating racist music.
This decisive move, described by Germany’s interior minister as “a clear signal against racism and antisemitism,” has led to raids on the homes of 28 leading members of the group across the nation.
The Hammerskins, originally founded in the United States during the late 1980s, were believed to have approximately 130 members within Germany.
The German authorities have hailed this prohibition as “a substantial blow against organized right-wing extremism,” effectively curbing “the inhumane actions of an internationally active neo-Nazi association.”
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized that “right-wing extremism remains the biggest extremist threat to our democracy,” underscoring the significance of continued robust action.
A primary objective of this skinhead group was to employ concerts as a platform for propagating its far-right ideology, thereby luring more adherents into its fold.
The Hammerskins were deeply involved in the establishment of neo-Nazi music labels, the sale of antisemitic records, and the organization of clandestine music events.
For instance, they were connected to a venue known as “Hate Bar” in the western German state of Saarland, where arrests were made as recently as April this year due to the display of banned symbols during far-right concerts.
The German authorities also collaborated closely with their American counterparts before implementing this ban.
Hammerskins, originating in Texas in 1988, had expanded its presence across the United States and several other nations, structured under the Hammerskin Nation, serving as the global umbrella for its national branches.
According to German authorities, the Hammerskins had been active in Germany since the early 1990s and held significant sway as one of Europe’s most influential far-right organizations.
It was divided into 13 regional chapters, some adopting names reminiscent of Nazi Germany, and operated across the country in a structure resembling that of biker gangs.
In a parallel to biker gang practices, they required prospective members to complete various initiation rituals through their supporting group, Crew 38, which has also been banned.
The recent police raids aimed to apprehend the leaders of these chapters in 10 German states and seize the group’s assets. It was reported that several members held licenses to carry weapons.
Members of the group referred to each other as “brothers” and perceived themselves as the “elite of the right-wing extremist skinhead scene.”
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency had previously noted that the Hammerskins organized Germany’s largest far-right martial arts event, the “Fight of the Nibelungs,” which was banned in 2019. Despite this, the group persisted in organizing concerts featuring a range of neo-Nazi bands.
This ban marks the 20th time a right-wing extremist association has been prohibited in Germany, as reported by the interior ministry. The Hammerskins were the last major right-wing skinhead organization in the country after another group, Blood and Honour, was outlawed in 2000.
Notably, Blood and Honour had close affiliations with a neo-Nazi group responsible for 10 racially motivated murders in Germany.
In 2020, Germany banned Combat 18, another neo-Nazi group associated with far-right concerts.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency estimates that the nation is home to 38,800 individuals within the right-wing extremist sphere, with over a third of them deemed “potentially violent.”