Heathen Front
Encyclopedia
The Allgermanische Heidnische Front (AHF) was an international Neo-Nazi organization espousing a philosophy influenced by anti-Semitism, xenophobia and folkish
heathenry
or Ásatrú
, often called Odalism.
The German chapter, Deutsche Heidnische Front
, was founded in 1998 by Hendrik Möbus. In 2001 the AHF claimed chapters in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, the USA, Canada, Russia, and Flanders
.
Norwegian black metal musician and heathen Varg Vikernes
has been linked to the Heathen Front. In a 2009 interview with Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, Vikernes states: "I have never formed or been a member of such organizations. The claim that Vikernes was the leader of the Heathen Front was initiated by the Norwegian anti-fascist magazine Monitor. In an interview, Vikernes states:
Although not being a member of the Allgermanische Heidnische Front, Vikernes maintained an affiliation with them during his time in prison, writing articles for their magazine. Vikernes later ceased to be involved with the organization.
Since 2006 the Allgermanische Heidnische Front is apparently defunct. Its former homepages were largely blanked and their respective domain name
s have now been taken over by commercial providers.
, white supremacism and anti-Semitism
. For example, a 2001 report by the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism
describes the Svensk Hednisk Front
(Swedish Heathen Front – SHF) as "an emerging Nazi organization" with an ideology blending "Odinism, anti-Christianity and antisemitism."
However, various chapters and groups within the Heathen Front claimed on their home pages that they rejected "all forms" of xenophobia, racism and racist violence.
On his own home page Vikernes calls his world view Odalism. He describes "Odalism" as derived from Proto-Germanic ôþalan, "heritage," and Old Norse óðal, with meanings including "homeland," "inherited goods," and "distinguished family" and is a primarily Teutonic
ethnic nationalist philosophy (folkish or "Völkisch") based on pride in one's own ancient cultural and religious traditions and rejection of those of outside cultures as less suited to one's nature. Its symbol is the Odal rune
.
Odalists see all things as coming from somewhere specific and believe that everyone conceives of spirituality in their own terms, whether or not they believe in the existence of universal
spiritual truths. Therefore, taking the terminology
of spiritual ideas and the ideas themselves from culturally relevant sources is seen to allow the "self" a more precise understanding of spiritual ideas, because the terms will be more relevant and more in accord with a person's sense of identity
.
Although Odalism is a Germanic
word and hence used only by Germanic nationalists, Vikernes states that it is an inclusive term that could theoretically be used by all Europe
ans and for that matter non-Europeans, including Christian
s, providing their philosophies
belong to their ancestral cultural identity
. It is like a mutually exclusive
differentialism, but Odalists consider it progressive
providing new ideas are developed and ancient ways not seen as a limitation; each culture can then develop in its own way.
Odal was also the name of a magazine that carried articles by the Nazi ideologist Richard Walther Darré. However, Vikernes chose the word because "[f]inally, and perhaps most importantly, it is not a term tainted by history."
Folkish
Folkish may refer to:*Folk culture, in the sense "of the common people; traditional, sophisticated, yet unconventional"*Völkisch movement of German ethnic nationalism*Neo-völkisch, an ethnocentric current in Germanic neopaganism-See also:...
heathenry
Germanic Neopaganism
Germanic neopaganism is the contemporary revival of historical Germanic paganism. Precursor movements appeared in the early 20th century in Germany and Austria. A second wave of revival began in the early 1970s...
or Ásatrú
Ásatrú
is a form of Germanic neopaganism which developed in the United States from the 1970s....
, often called Odalism.
History
In 1993 the Norsk Hedensk Front (Norwegian Heathen Front) was founded, which soon evolved into the AHF, "a network of independent tribes."The German chapter, Deutsche Heidnische Front
Deutsche Heidnische Front
Deutsche Heidnische Front is a far right Neo-pagan group which was created in 1998 as the German section of the Heathen Front...
, was founded in 1998 by Hendrik Möbus. In 2001 the AHF claimed chapters in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, the USA, Canada, Russia, and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
.
Norwegian black metal musician and heathen Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes is a Norwegian black metal musician, writer, philosopher, religious and political activist, arsonist and convicted murderer.Vikernes was born near Bergen, Norway. In 1991, he founded the one-man music project Burzum, which quickly became popular within the early Norwegian black metal...
has been linked to the Heathen Front. In a 2009 interview with Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, Vikernes states: "I have never formed or been a member of such organizations. The claim that Vikernes was the leader of the Heathen Front was initiated by the Norwegian anti-fascist magazine Monitor. In an interview, Vikernes states:
The NHF (Norwegian Heathen Front) was persecuted in Norway, by the Antifa/Monitor, who repeatedly wrote that the NHF was neo-Nazi and that leader was Varg Vikernes, and so forth. Even when the NHF told them that Varg Vikernes is not the leader of the NHF or the AHF they just kept on about it. Even the secret police claimed adamantly that I was the leader of the NHF when they interviewed one of the NHF guys ... He told them I wasn't the leader, but they just ignored him and trusted their own sources instead.
Although not being a member of the Allgermanische Heidnische Front, Vikernes maintained an affiliation with them during his time in prison, writing articles for their magazine. Vikernes later ceased to be involved with the organization.
Since 2006 the Allgermanische Heidnische Front is apparently defunct. Its former homepages were largely blanked and their respective domain name
Domain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
s have now been taken over by commercial providers.
Ideology
The Heathen Front was at times accused of Neo-NazismNeo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
, white supremacism and anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
. For example, a 2001 report by the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism
Stephen Roth Institute
The Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism is a research institute at Tel Aviv University in Israel. It is a resource for information, provides a forum for academic discussion, and fosters research on issues concerning antisemitic and racist theories and...
describes the Svensk Hednisk Front
Svensk Hednisk Front
Svensk Hednisk Front is the Swedish sub-division of the Allgermanische Heidnische Front . It promotes a line of thought called Odalism and has been linked with Neo-Nazi groups....
(Swedish Heathen Front – SHF) as "an emerging Nazi organization" with an ideology blending "Odinism, anti-Christianity and antisemitism."
However, various chapters and groups within the Heathen Front claimed on their home pages that they rejected "all forms" of xenophobia, racism and racist violence.
On his own home page Vikernes calls his world view Odalism. He describes "Odalism" as derived from Proto-Germanic ôþalan, "heritage," and Old Norse óðal, with meanings including "homeland," "inherited goods," and "distinguished family" and is a primarily Teutonic
Teutons
The Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...
ethnic nationalist philosophy (folkish or "Völkisch") based on pride in one's own ancient cultural and religious traditions and rejection of those of outside cultures as less suited to one's nature. Its symbol is 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...
.
Odalists see all things as coming from somewhere specific and believe that everyone conceives of spirituality in their own terms, whether or not they believe in the existence of universal
Universality (philosophy)
In philosophy, universalism is a doctrine or school claiming universal facts can be discovered and is therefore understood as being in opposition to relativism. In certain religions, universality is the quality ascribed to an entity whose existence is consistent throughout the universe...
spiritual truths. Therefore, taking the terminology
Terminology
Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that in specific contexts are given specific meanings, meanings that may deviate from the meaning the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language. The discipline Terminology studies among other...
of spiritual ideas and the ideas themselves from culturally relevant sources is seen to allow the "self" a more precise understanding of spiritual ideas, because the terms will be more relevant and more in accord with a person's sense of identity
Identity (social science)
Identity is a term used to describe a person's conception and expression of their individuality or group affiliations . The term is used more specifically in psychology and sociology, and is given a great deal of attention in social psychology...
.
Although Odalism is a Germanic
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
word and hence used only by Germanic nationalists, Vikernes states that it is an inclusive term that could theoretically be used by all Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans and for that matter non-Europeans, including Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s, providing their philosophies
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
belong to their ancestral cultural identity
Cultural identity
Cultural identity is the identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as one is influenced by one's belonging to a group or culture. Cultural identity is similar to and has overlaps with, but is not synonymous with, identity politics....
. It is like a mutually exclusive
Mutually exclusive
In layman's terms, two events are mutually exclusive if they cannot occur at the same time. An example is tossing a coin once, which can result in either heads or tails, but not both....
differentialism, but Odalists consider it progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
providing new ideas are developed and ancient ways not seen as a limitation; each culture can then develop in its own way.
Odal was also the name of a magazine that carried articles by the Nazi ideologist Richard Walther Darré. However, Vikernes chose the word because "[f]inally, and perhaps most importantly, it is not a term tainted by history."