Blanke Bevrydingsbeweging
Encyclopedia
Die Blanke Bevrydingsbeweging (BBB) (The White Liberation Movement) is a small but notorious South African neo-nazi organisation which became infamous after being banned under the apartheid regime, the first right wing organisation to be so banned. It regarded itself as the most far right wing organisation in South Africa.
Its honorary leader was Theuns Stoffberg, a former member of the Greyshirts
. Another notable member was Keith Conroy, an Englishman who would later become Kommandant of the AWB's 'Iron Guard'.
branch.
Harvey also published the “South African Patriot” magazine in Durban, under the “Patriotic Press” imprint. This magazine carried advertisements of several far right organizations around the world, including David Duke
’s the National Association of White People, National Vanguard
magazine issued by the National Alliance
, Instauration magazine, Heritage and Destiny, the National Front’s Nationalism Today (to which Harvey contributed under the pseudonym "J Humphries") Folk and Race, and NF News.
Harvey contributed to the BBB’s publication under his own name.
In August 1987 Schabot attended and spoke at a commemorative service for Rudolf Hess
organised by the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
(AWB). The BBB would organise inflammatory meeting and marches.
Barend Strydom
. This was the first time such restrictions had been placed on a right wing organisation. In banning the group Adriaan Vlok
, the Law and Order Minister, said that the group were "right-wing, fanatical extremists who favor violence to carry racism to its extreme".
In December 1988 Schabort re-launched the BBB as the Blanke Nasionale Beweging (White National Movement) under the nominal leadership of Wynand de Beer; however as its activities were clearly the same as the BBB it was banned in the beginning of 1989.
The government lifted the ban on the BBB in February 1990.
Schabort officially disbanded the BBB and the Blanke Party in 1990 and joined the Conservative Party
. Some members of the BBB like Keith Conroy would go on to support the Afrikaner Volksfront.
; it's flag was "basically white with a red cross and a swastika
". NSP members were arrested in 1991 for the murder of three black people at Louis Trichardt.
Following a bombing of a taxi rank in Germiston on 26 April 1994 which killed ten people it was claimed in the press that the BBB were responsible; Schabort denied the BBB was responsible
). The BBB sought the 'repatriation' (expulsion) of blacks from South Africa, "by violence if necessary". It was openly anti-semitic, regarding Jews
as existing between white and blacks, and denied the Holocaust
. The BBB was against democracy
and sought a new economic order.
The AWB criticised the BBB for being anti-Christian and atheistic; the BBB's tendency was towards the Church of the Creator. The BBB used the odal rune
as its symbol.
History
The organisation was formed in June 1985 by Professor Johann Schabort. It started as the support organisation for Schabort's Blanke Party (White Party), which existed only in name. In June 1987 the BBB went public and sought to organise across the country, aimed at both Afrikaners and British whites.Its honorary leader was Theuns Stoffberg, a former member of the Greyshirts
Greyshirts
Greyshirts or Gryshemde is the common short-form name given to the South African Gentile National Socialist Movement, a South African Nazi movement that existed during the 1930s and 1940s...
. Another notable member was Keith Conroy, an Englishman who would later become Kommandant of the AWB's 'Iron Guard'.
International Links
The BBB ran a bilingual magazine Kommando: Stem van die Blankedom / Kommando:Voice of the White Race published by Alan Harvey the deputy leader of the South NatalNatal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
branch.
Harvey also published the “South African Patriot” magazine in Durban, under the “Patriotic Press” imprint. This magazine carried advertisements of several far right organizations around the world, including David Duke
David Duke
David Ernest Duke is a former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan an American activist and writer, and former Republican Louisiana State Representative. He was also a former candidate in the Republican presidential primaries in 1992, and in the Democratic presidential primaries in...
’s the National Association of White People, National Vanguard
National Vanguard
National Vanguard refers to three entities:*National Vanguard *National Vanguard *National Vanguard...
magazine issued by the National Alliance
National Alliance
The National Alliance is a white separatist political organization. It was founded by University physics teacher Dr. William Luther Pierce in 1974, and is based in the Pierce family's compound in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Although it operates primarily in the United States, the National Alliance...
, Instauration magazine, Heritage and Destiny, the National Front’s Nationalism Today (to which Harvey contributed under the pseudonym "J Humphries") Folk and Race, and NF News.
Harvey contributed to the BBB’s publication under his own name.
In August 1987 Schabot attended and spoke at a commemorative service for Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a prominent Nazi politician who was Adolf Hitler's deputy in the Nazi Party during the 1930s and early 1940s...
organised by the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
The Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging is a South African far right separatist political and former paramilitary organization, since its creation dedicated to secessionist Afrikaner nationalism and the creation of an independent Boer-Afrikaner republic or "" in part of South Africa...
(AWB). The BBB would organise inflammatory meeting and marches.
BBB Banned
The BBB was banned, and restrictions were placed on the political activities of Schabort in November 1988, in reaction to the massacre of black people in Pretoria byBarend Strydom
Barend Strydom
Barend Hendrik Strydom, also known as the Wit Wolf , is a convicted spree killer who was sentenced to death for shooting dead seven black people in Strijdom Square in Pretoria, South Africa on November 15, 1988...
. This was the first time such restrictions had been placed on a right wing organisation. In banning the group Adriaan Vlok
Adriaan Vlok
Adriaan Johannes Vlok was Minister of Law and Order in South Africa from 1986 to 1991 in the final years of the apartheid era...
, the Law and Order Minister, said that the group were "right-wing, fanatical extremists who favor violence to carry racism to its extreme".
In December 1988 Schabort re-launched the BBB as the Blanke Nasionale Beweging (White National Movement) under the nominal leadership of Wynand de Beer; however as its activities were clearly the same as the BBB it was banned in the beginning of 1989.
The government lifted the ban on the BBB in February 1990.
Schabort officially disbanded the BBB and the Blanke Party in 1990 and joined the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (South Africa)
The Conservative Party of South Africa was a conservative party formed in 1982 as a breakaway from the ruling National Party...
. Some members of the BBB like Keith Conroy would go on to support the Afrikaner Volksfront.
Later events
A few members, led by Jean Pierre du Plessis, sought to continue the BBB, with the BBB as the political wing to which would be added an underground organisation called the National Socialist Partisans (NSP). Schabort chose not to become involed. Du Plessis continued to form the NSP as a cellClandestine cell system
A clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
; it's flag was "basically white with a red cross and a swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
". NSP members were arrested in 1991 for the murder of three black people at Louis Trichardt.
Following a bombing of a taxi rank in Germiston on 26 April 1994 which killed ten people it was claimed in the press that the BBB were responsible; Schabort denied the BBB was responsible
Ideology
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission described the BBB's ideology as "refined nazism". Schabort himself described the organisation as "openly racist". It was white supremacist and against race mixing. The BBB regarded blacks as 'mud people' or 'mud race' (as per Christian IdentityChristian Identity
Christian Identity is a label applied to a wide variety of loosely affiliated believers and churches with a racialized theology. Many promote a Eurocentric interpretation of Christianity.According to Chester L...
). The BBB sought the 'repatriation' (expulsion) of blacks from South Africa, "by violence if necessary". It was openly anti-semitic, regarding Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
as existing between white and blacks, and denied the Holocaust
Holocaust denial
Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in World War II, usually referred to as the Holocaust. The key claims of Holocaust denial are: the German Nazi government had no official policy or intention of exterminating Jews, Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas...
. The BBB was against democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and sought a new economic order.
The AWB criticised the BBB for being anti-Christian and atheistic; the BBB's tendency was towards the Church of the Creator. The BBB used the odal rune
Odal rune
The Elder Futhark Odal rune represents the o sound. Its reconstructed Proto-Germanic name is *ôþalan. The corresponding Gothic letter is o, called oþal. Variations of the name include Othila and Othala...
as its symbol.