Joop Glimmerveen
Encyclopedia
Johann Georg Glimmerveen (born 14 November 1928 in Utrecht
) is a Dutch
far right
politician.
in the United Kingdom
. From there he joined the Dutch Peoples-Union
(NVU) in 1971 not long after its foundation. He became the new group's propaganda
chief and sought to make inroads in Rotterdam
following a series of race riots in the city. In 1974 he was a candidate for the party in The Hague
and ran a high proflie campaign against immigration from the Dutch West Indies to the city. With this campaign he captured 4000 votes, just missing a seat on the council and was chosen as leader of the NVU later in the year. Under his leadership the group became more Nazi in appearance and ideology
, with Glimmerveen adopting the title of 'leader' and the group holding up collaborators such as Anton Mussert
and Meinoud Rost van Tonningen
as inspirations. Eventually even Adolf Hitler
was praised for his skill as a leader by Glimmerveen.
Although the party initially looked poised to make a breakthrough their comparatively high profile was not to last. A series of damaging court cases and attempts to ban the party saw their fortunes fade dramatically and Glimmerveen resigned as leader in 1981. He initially left politics as a whole but returned to the NVU around 1983 to again take a central role in the organisation.
and German
neo-Nazi groups, although he fell out with the leadership and again quit the NVU in 2000.
He was convicted in 2003 of making pro-Nazi speeches at a CP'86
rally seven years earlier and was sentenced to four months in prison. In 2007 Glimmerveen was one of a number of Dutch extremists fined in Belgium
for making the Nazi salute
.
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
politician.
Dutch Peoples Union
Glimmerveen first came to prominence as a member of the hardline Noordbond, a neo-Nazi group with links to the likes of Colin JordanColin Jordan
John Colin Campbell Jordan was a leading figure in postwar Neo-Nazism in Britain. In the far-right nationalist circles of the 1960s, Jordan represented the most explicitly 'Nazi' inclination in his open use of the styles and symbols of the Third Reich.Through organisations such as the National...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. From there he joined the Dutch Peoples-Union
Dutch Peoples-Union
The Dutch Peoples-Union is a Dutch political party. Because of its many calls for the rehabilitation of convicted World War II war criminals and SS costumes worn at demonstrations, it is counted among the most extreme right of Dutch politics...
(NVU) in 1971 not long after its foundation. He became the new group's propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
chief and sought to make inroads in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
following a series of race riots in the city. In 1974 he was a candidate for the party in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and ran a high proflie campaign against immigration from the Dutch West Indies to the city. With this campaign he captured 4000 votes, just missing a seat on the council and was chosen as leader of the NVU later in the year. Under his leadership the group became more Nazi in appearance and ideology
Ideology
An ideology is a set of ideas that constitutes one's goals, expectations, and actions. An ideology can be thought of as a comprehensive vision, as a way of looking at things , as in common sense and several philosophical tendencies , or a set of ideas proposed by the dominant class of a society to...
, with Glimmerveen adopting the title of 'leader' and the group holding up collaborators such as Anton Mussert
Anton Mussert
Anton Adriaan Mussert was one of the founders of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands and its de jure leader. As such, he was the most prominent national socialist in the Netherlands before and during the Second World War...
and Meinoud Rost van Tonningen
Meinoud Rost van Tonningen
Meinoud Marinus Rost van Tonningen was a Dutch politician of the National Socialist Movement . During World War II and the German occupation of the Netherlands, he collaborated extensively with the German occupation forces.-Early life:Rost van Tonningen was born in the Dutch East Indies...
as inspirations. Eventually even Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
was praised for his skill as a leader by Glimmerveen.
Although the party initially looked poised to make a breakthrough their comparatively high profile was not to last. A series of damaging court cases and attempts to ban the party saw their fortunes fade dramatically and Glimmerveen resigned as leader in 1981. He initially left politics as a whole but returned to the NVU around 1983 to again take a central role in the organisation.
Subsequent activity
He retired not long afterwards although by the 1990s he was convinced to return again to the NVU by its then leaders. He helped the group build links with BelgianBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
neo-Nazi groups, although he fell out with the leadership and again quit the NVU in 2000.
He was convicted in 2003 of making pro-Nazi speeches at a CP'86
Centre Party (Netherlands)
The Centre Party was a Dutch nationalist extreme right-wing political party espousing an anti-immigrant program. The party was founded by Henry Brookman in 1980, and was represented by Hans Janmaat in the Dutch House of Representatives from 1982, until he was expelled from the party in 1984 and...
rally seven years earlier and was sentenced to four months in prison. In 2007 Glimmerveen was one of a number of Dutch extremists fined in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
for making the Nazi salute
Nazi salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
.