An interview with a gay russian neo nazi
LGBTI in Russia: history of success, opportunities and challenges
2000s: Development of movement and public support
The LGBTI movement in Russia was on the rise in the middle of 2000-s. At that time LGBTI activists founded key organisations and launched several initiatives for defending their rights, awareness-building and researching of public opinion.
The first queer pride was organised by a GayRussia initiative in 2006 and since then it had attempted to hold gay prides every year. However every event was accompanied by counteractions from the side of neo-Nazi movements and ultra-religious groups.
At the same occasion due to the effect of LGBTI activists, Russian human rights organisations had started to pay attention on LGBTI issues (previously treated by them outside of human rights agenda) to work with and to include gradually in their agenda actions on defending rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and non-binary people. Many of LGBTI organisations succeed to officially register themselves.
Held from 2008 annual film festival «Side by side» in Saint-Petersburg had an aim to create an open vacuum for discussion and dialogue on discrimination on the grounds of sexual ori
Alexandra Pascalidou and the neo-Nazi
In November, Martin Karlsson sent an email to Swedish broadcaster and penner Alexandra Pascalidou. During his 13 years as a neo-Nazi in the Nordic Resistance Movement, he had hated her and threatened her. Now he wanted to tell her he was sorry.
From: Martin Karlsson
Subject: Wish to apologize
Hello Alexandra,
The reason I am writing to you today is because I want to ask forgiveness. Forgiveness for all the hate I directed at you among others over many years. The evidence is, I used to be a member of the Nordic Resistance Movement but took my last step away from that organization at the beginning of 2016.
I did this because I no longer support the views and standards being spread by the NMR. Today I am incredibly happy at last to be away from all the hate, but at the same hour feel incredibly immersive guilt for all that has been said and done over the years in the anti-Semitic world.
Best regards,
Martin
I phoned Martin immediately. I think that in these polarized times bridges are needed. That those who have started on a journey advocate to a more nuanced and compassionate attitude need assist and encouragement. They need to und
A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed someone from the Malaysian neo-Nazi scene. The whole concept of Malay neo-Nazis was confusing, because a pretty dominant part of the Nazi shtick was hating anyone who wasn’t white, and people from Malaysia normally aren’t white. However, it turned out that the notoriously strict Nazi ideology wasn’t too much of an issue in this case, and that the Malay Nazis could tote on sieg-heiling and wearing swastikas despite the truth they aren’t Aryan because they really hate immigrants, or something.
Another group of neo-Nazis not bothering to adhere to Hitler’s guidelines on who to hate are those involved in the Russian gay neo-Nazi skinhead movement. As you might recall from being within spitting distance of any history textbook ever, the Führer and his Third Reich buddies weren’t too keen on either Russians or homosexuals—an estimated 100,000 of the latter were arrested between 1933 and 1945, with 5,000 to 15,000 eventually being sent to perish in concentration camps.
Much like the Malays, minor historical details enjoy rampant persecution and horrific genocide have apparently been forgotten by the Russians.
My Berlin meeting with an ex Nazi
I sent Ewald Althans a message suggesting we meet in a coffee shop, not far from my East Berlin hotel. I thought it might be a more relaxed place in which to talk. He declined. “I do not perceive too comfy any more sitting in a cosy place having an intense talk about National Socialism, Hitler, Auschwitz, etc,” he texted back. “I propose we have a gentle long walk.” I felt terribly naïve. After all, he had a signal. Sitting in a Berlin coffee shop, chatting openly about the Nazis, really might not be the best way to leave. I agreed to delay for him at the hotel. It required patience; he sent me repeated messages apologising for existence late. “No worries,” I replied. “It’s been 29 years since we last met. I can linger another hour.”
Despite both the three decades that had passed and the Covid mask, I recognised him immediately. He wore drainpipe jeans ripped at the knee instead of an expensive sculpted suit, and his once straw-blond hair was now grey. Nevertheless, it was still recognisably him: the man once tipped to lead Germany to a new fascist glory. We turned out of the hotel and began to stroll down one of Berlin’s sun-dappled, tree-lined avenues. “So,”
One of the most famous Russian neonazis, Maksim Martsinkevich, nicknamed “Tesak” (Hatchet), has died in a Chelyabinsk detention facility. Initial investigations of his death recommend suicide. Tesak was known formerly for his projects “Occupy-Paedophilia” and “Occupy-Narcophilia”, in which he and his cronies pound and humiliated supposed “paedophiles” and drug dealers on camera. For “Occupy-Narcophilia” Tesak received at ten-year prison sentence. His projects were recognizable outside of Russia, as well: Tesak’s ideas inspired people in Ukraine and Belarus, he himself even carried out “raids” in other regions of the post-soviet space. Zaborona reports on how Tesak influenced the development of far-right violence.
Martsinkevich was one of the most well-known Russian neonazis. In 2005 he founded the organisation “Format 18”. The number eighteen was a reference to Adolph Hitler: “A” being the first letter in the latin alphabet, and “H” the eighth. “Format 18” brought together skinheads who would attack migrants from central Asia and homel