July2nd,2015

TranslatedfromGermanbyAntidoteZinesEdSutton

WhatFormShould
OurAntiFascism
Take?
LOWERCLASSMAGAZINE

Thenewyearhasbegunwiththesad
certaintythatthefarRightisinfull
sail.InGermany,racism,xenophobia,and
nationalistsentimentareseeingaonce
inagenerationboom.
Surveysareshowingthataround50%of
respondentssympathizewithoratleast
understandthecurrentwaveof
xenophobicdemonstrations.Agreementwith
statementssuchasIamworriedthat
radicalIslamisbecomingmoresignificant
inGermanyandGermanyiscurrently
takingintoomanyrefugeesispolling
evenhigherthanthat.
Thenewyearhasbegunwithanothersad
certainty:thatthistrendwillprobably
notbereversedintheshortterm.Warand
crisisabroadaredrivingmoreandmore
peopletoflee,oftentoEuropewhilea
strongLeftthatcouldcounterreactionary
sentimentsathomeisnotinevidencein
verymanyEUcountries.Thestrengthening
ofterroristicjihadimovementsin
geopoliticallycrucialregionsisfanning

theflamesofislamophobic,racist,and
chauvinisticideasinEuropesmetropoles,
bothinsideandoutsideestablished
bourgeoispoliticalparties.Meanwhilethe
ideaofanindependentLeftappearsto
havebeenplainlyspeakingpulped.Itis
timetoaskhowlostgroundcanbe
retaken.

WhereIstheEnemy?
Weneedtolearn,onceagain,to
differentiate.Noteveryracistisa
fascist.Noteveryonewhoseekscomfortin
thewellbeingofhernationisa
fascist.Andnoteverynationalistisa
neoNazi.Wehavetoknowourenemiesin
ordertofightthem,andwehavetofight
themastheyare.
PartsoftheAntifamovementarefixated
ontheclassicneoNazi,organizedin
clubsorintheNPD(NationalDemocratic
PartyofGermany,successortotheGerman
ReichParty)andappearinginalltheways
weareusedto.Whereverfiveofthese
exemplarycharactersgathertodemand
GermanyforGermans,wewillshowupto
tellthemtheyarentwelcome.
Thatsfine.Ontheotherhand,the
everydaychauvinism,racism,and
authoritarianismthatcomesoutofthe

selfanointedpoliticalcenterdoesnot
receivethesamevehementresponse.
Fascismhasmanyfaces.Theneoliberal
culturalwarriorvariantfrom
theIdentitre[i]movementhasadifferent
ideologicalbasisthanthevariant
connectedtotheNationalSocialist
tradition.TheAlternativefr
Deutschland(AfD)partycarriesfascist
water,butitsincorrecttoaccusethem
ofrecoursetonationalsocialismassuch.
Thatsnottheirjam(exceptwithregard
toindividualmembers,perhaps).
Wehavetounderstandthesemovementsfor
whateachofthemisandnotallofthem
areNazis.Betterdifferentiationwill
guardagainstaninflationaryuseofthe
termNazi,andevenmoreimportantly
againstmissinganenemybecauseourradar
screensaretoosmall.
TheradicalLeftsselectiveblindness
appearsevengraverwhenitcomestothe
relationoffascismtotheGermanstate.
Eventhestatesconstitutionalprotection
ofneoNazimurderersintheNSU(National
SocialistUnderground)hasnotprompted
anyradicalLeftcampaignappropriateto
thetask.

Andtheissueofsupportof
Banderist[ii]andneoNazimilitiasin
Ukraine,whichisopenlypracticed
byeverybourgeoispoliticalpartyofthe
GermanFederalRepublic,hasbarelybeen
broached.
Anantifascismstaringdaggersintoevery
activityunambiguouslyidentifiableas
Naziisntdoinganythingwrongbutit
isbeingtoowellbehaved.Anantifascism
thatbalksatattackingcapitalandthe
bourgeoisstateisdoomedtoremain
Sysipheanatbest.

ProtectingNeoliberalism
Wedonotregardantifascismasanendin
itself,butasameanstoprotect
bourgeoiscapitalistsocietyfromthe
monstersitcreates,wrotetheNo
WKRFederation(whichmobilizesresistance
totheannualrightwinggalasthrownby
Vienneseacademicfraternities[iii])
recently.Thesentenceisrefreshingly
honest.Itreflectsthepraxisofbroad
segmentsoftheantifascistmovementwhich
basicallyactasthoughnationalism,
racism,andthetargetingofrefugeesfor
discriminationwerethingsthatpressin

onbourgeoisdemocraticsocietyfrom
outside.
Theimageofmonstersisatripupas
well.Itsuggeststhatbourgeoissociety
isapleasant,friendlymotherwhohas,
clearlythroughnofaultofherown,
broughtupanugly,mean,andaggressive
childthathasnowinexplicablyturnedon
heritsownpoormother!Thehorror!
Thebraveantifascistrunstotherescue!
Itgoesunnoticedthatnationalism,
racism,repression,thewallingoffofour
metropoles,subjugation,exploitation,and
wararenotthingstowhichbourgeois
societyneedstobeforciblycompelled,
leastofallbyfascists.Thesethingsare
alreadyatthecoreofbourgeoissocietys
operation.TheNoWKRFederationstheory
offascism,thankfullybutregrettably,
makesexplicitwhatpartsofthe
antifascistmovementalreadythoughtlessly
assume.
Rightnow,sincestraightupfascistscan
surelybefounddemonstratingsomewhere,
furthercontradictionsseemtohave
escapedourattentionaswell;partsof
theautonomousAntifaareexerting
themselvestoestablishabroadcoalition
acrosscivilsocietythatspansfromLeft

partiesthroughunionfunctionariesand
GreensallthewaytoSocialDemocrats
(SPD)evenincluding,asofrecently,some
campswithintherulingCDU(Christian
DemocraticUnion).
Thiskindofapproachwascalledthe
PopularFrontStrategy
(Volksfrontstrategie)inearliertimes,
andwasregardedasthecorrectapproach
bycommunistpartiesresistingfascist
regimes.Thereasoningbehindit(as
formulatedbyoneofthestrategys
founders,GeorgiDimitrov,aBulgarian
theoristofcapitalismandlongtime
CominternfunctionaryunderStalin)was
thatfascism,whereittakeshold,isnot
simplythereplacementofonebourgeois
governmentwithanother,butthe
dissolutionofclassbasedbourgeoisstate
powerbourgeoisdemocracybyanopenly
terroristicdictatorship.Toignorethis
differenceisaseriousmistake.It
follows,then,thatinthisscenariothe
workersmovementisnolongerina
positiontoengageinrevolutionary
strugglebutonlyinastrugglebetween
bourgeoisdemocracyandfascism.
Therefore,Dimitrovconcludes,onemust
strugglealongsideallbourgeoisforces
conservative,liberal,andleftthatstand

opposedtofascism,andstrugglenot(yet)
forsocialismbutratherforthe
reinstatementofdemocraticrelationsand
institutions.
Thisstrategyhashaditsproblems,
historicallyaboveallwhen,afterthe
victoryoverfascismintheSecondWorld
War,Sovietprerogativesweresubordinated
tootherAlliesimperialistimperatives,
leading(amongotherthings)tothe
destructionoflargeandlocallywell
regardedrevolutionarymovementsinGreece
andItaly.
Importanttoustoday,however,isto
recognizethisasastrategyagainst
fascisminpowerandnotagainstfascist
movementswithinbourgeoisdemocratic
imperialiststates.Nonetheless,partsof
theantifascistmovementareadaptingthis
strategywithoutanyhistoricalreference
orthetheorythatwouldcomewithitinto
theirdaytodaypraxis.Theysupposethat
anywherefascistdemonstrations(or
nationalisticoneswithfascistelements)
occur,wehavetoworkalongsideallthe
forcesofcivilsocietythatarealso
againstNazismtostopit.
Thisisalsoverygoodmanners.Itis
littlemorethanaselfdefeatingeffort

tobecompatiblewiththepolitical
requirementsofbourgeoisRightparties.
Donotheedtheircalls!Chancellor
Merkelhasimploredthoseperhapstempted
tojointhePEGIDAdemonstrationsin
Dresden.ForinGermanyitisamatterof
coursetoaidrefugeesandtowelcome
peoplewhoseekrefugewithus.

PinstripesandArson
Whoeverfallsforthischatterisreally
beyondhelp.Inthe1990s,throughthe
cooperativeengagementofliterallyfire
startingneoNazisandpinstripesuited
politicians,therighttoasylumin
Germanywaseffectivelyabolished.Already
then,theohsofriendlybourgeoissociety
throughitspolitical(CDU/CSU,SPD)and
massmedia(Springer)representativeshad
enteredintoaninformalalliancewith
itsownmonsters.
Beneaththeicesheetofcivilizationand
liberalizationthatweveslowlylearned
tobear,wrotehistorianUlrichHerbert
inretrospect,itappearedthatasalways
thereexistedacesspoolofxenophobiaand
violence,andthatitwouldbeeasy,given
therightopportunityandsomehelpfrom
above,fortheicetobreak.

Evenifwe,unlikeUlrichHerbert,never
learnedtobeartheicesheetof
civilizationandliberalizationtosay
nothingofwhetherornotwefindthe
abstractdichotomyofcivilizationhere
andbarbarismthereparticularlyapta
lookbackattheninetiesshowsitwasthe
bourgeoisstateitselfthattruncatedthe
rightofasylum,andindoingsoit
establishedapartnershipwiththosewho
stoodinfrontofasyleegrouphomeswith
spraycansandwrote,GermanyforGermans!
ForeignersOut!
Thefascistmobdidnthavetotakepower
toachieveitsgoalofeffectivelyclosing
Germanysborderstofreeloaders(asthe
newspaperBildsolovinglyreferredto
thoseinsearchofaidbackthen).
Bourgeoisdemocracyachievedthatallon
itsown.
Thisachievementholdstothisday.Itis
notPEGIDAdemonstratorswhotraveltothe
GreekTurkishbordertosavetheHomeland
fromSyrianrefugees.ItisGermanpolice
officers.ItwasnotHoGeSabarbrawlers
whopassedagain!newlytightenedasylum
rulesthroughGermanparliament,butthe
GreenministerpresidentofBaden
Wrttembergstate,WinfriedKretschmann.
AnditisnottheNeinzum
Heim[iv]paradeofassholesthatis
assertingGermaninterestsintheformer

Yugoslavia,Afghanistan,Greece,and
Ukraine,butyourbasic,averageRedGreen
orBlackYellowmainstreampolitical
coalitions.
Isthistoplaydowntherightwingand
fascistmovementsthataregainingground
everyday?Noway.Wehavetofight
HoGeSa,andPEGIDA,andwhateverthehell
therestofthemarecalled.Wesimply
cannotallowourselves,inthisstruggle,
tobetrickedorforcedintooverlooking
whatbourgeoiscapitaliststatesare.
Doesthismeanweshouldneverandunder
nocircumstancesenterallianceswith
bourgeoisdemocraticpartiesor
institutions?Noagain.Butwhenthis
optionarises,wedohavetoassessthe
concretesituation.Whowouldsuchan
alliancebehelping?Doesithelpusby
politicizingorradicalizingmembersand
supportersofbourgeoispoliticalparties
liketheGreensandSocialDemocrats,or
willwesimplyfunctionasafigleafso
thesepartiescanposeasrepresentatives
ofahumaneandopenGermany?

TheMeansAvailableToUs
Thepaletteofpossibleantifascist
interventionsislargeandrichin
variety.Itbeginsatcriticismofthe

contentsofrightwingideology,continues
throughthepublicexposureofspecific
cadresandfunctionarieswithinfascist
movements,andstretchesallthewayto
substantialattacksonthevariousways
thesemovementsmanifestthemselvesin
publiclife.
Whichmethodsweemployshouldnotbe
decidedbyourirrationalsensitivities
butshouldbeguidedbythequestion:how
canwemosteffectivelyimpedeor,
ideally,completelypreventtheemergence
orstrengtheningofradicalrightwing
movements?Amethodappropriatetoa
particularpurposewillnotnecessarilybe
applicabletoallothers,oratalltimes.
Blockademarchescouldbetheright
strategyinoneplace,whereasinanother
theycouldbeusedjiujitsustylebythe
rightwingmovementtobolstertheirself
identificationasvictimswhose
democraticrightsarebeingtakenaway.
Thefirmerthemethodbeingused,themore
carefullyitshouldbeconsidered.
Blockades,outing/doxxing,andevenmore
militantactionsareperfectlylegitimate,
tobesure.Buttheyallhaveonethingin
common:theyareappliedwhereradical
rightwingmobilizationsarealready
happening.Evenmoresensiblewouldbe

politicalstrategiesthatdontevenlet
itgetthatfar.Placeswithastrong
antifascist,radicalLeftcommunity
presenceandinfrastructureworkasa
prophylacticagainstrightwingchicanery.
GoldenDawncantdoitsdirtyworkin
Exarchia.Turkishfascistsdontdare
enterOkmeydan.EveninKreuzberg,where
ourcommunitypresencehaslongbeen
eroding,wecanstilldeclarethatnobody
wholivesthereisgettingpoliticized
rightward.
Inshort:inneighborhoods,milieus,and
subculturesinwhichwefostersocial
strugglesbybuildingrealoppositional
structures,wesaveourselvesthetrouble
andendlesspainofpushingastoneupthe
hilllikethatpoormythichero.
Antifascismasapurelyreactive,
defensivestrategywillnotwinusanynew
oppositionalterritory,asrecentyears
haveshown.Withoutapoliticsofclass
andwithoutarealexisting
infrastructure,Antifaremainsakindof
ineffectualfiredepartmentthat,because
ofitsownweaknesses,keepsfallingback
onthemeredefenseofbourgeoissociety
andits(realorsupposed)achievements.
SuchanAntifa,ironically,becomesa
betterkindofconstitutional
protection.

Inlightofthis,weshouldreturnour
attentiontowhatitiswereallywant:to
fundamentallychangethebasicassumptions
ofsocietyandovercomethebourgeois
stateandcapitalism.Theantifascist
project,tobeinternallyconsistentand
towinmustincludebuildingupthe
radicalLeft,inthemostliteralsense.

[ii]StepanBanderawasaUkrainian
nationalistleaderwithclosebut
complicatedtiestotheNazisduringWorld
WarII,whoisregardedbytodays
Ukrainianpatriotsasanationalhero.

+++++

[iv]Notothe[asylee]Home!Local
movementsagainsttheestablishmentof
grouphomesforrefugeesinmostcases
littlemorethanbarracks,andoften
denouncedbytheirunwillingresidentsas
campshavesprungupincitiesallacross
Germany.Andnotoutofhumanitarian
sympathy.

[i]Inlieuofanapproximatetranslation
ofthisrelativelynewpolitical
classificationontheGermanRight,we
proposeadirectEnglishanalog
Identitarianbecauseofitsparallels
inboththeBritishandAmerican(aswell
asother)contexts.

[iii]Antidoterepublishedathorough
descriptionofthesefraternitiesafter
theNaziBallsinViennalastyear.