National League of Sweden
Encyclopedia
The National Youth League of Sweden (Sveriges nationella ungdomsförbund, SNU) was the first youth organisation of the General Electoral Union
of Sweden
. It was dislodged from its mother party in 1934 due to its pro-Nazi
stance. It was then reconstructed as a separate political party
, the National League of Sweden. After the Second World War, the political fortunes of the group dwindled.
. The organisation, though never formally recognized, became the youth referent of the General Electoral Union.
During the late 1920s SNU became politically radicalized. The radicalization was accentuated by the election of Elmo Lindholm as the SNU chairman. In 1931 the organization had 35 460 members, and was steadily growing. Eventually SNU organised a militant kamporganisation (struggle organisation, modelled after the German SA
) which were supposed to combat political enemies in the streets. The kamporganisation had grey shirts, blue ties and blue armbands. The League supported the German
Nazis after Adolf Hitler
came to power in 1933.
The 1930s saw many harsh conflicts within the Conservative
movement in Sweden on how to relate to the emerging Nazism
. During 1933 the General Electoral Union arranged a number of demonstrations against both Nazism and communism
. Arvid Lindman
, the leader of the party, clearly stated that Nazis were not accepted within his party.
Another issue of contention was whether there should have been any age limit for SNU membership. The General Electoral Union pushed for 35 years as an upper limit for SNU members, as well as a formal understanding that the role of SNU was to recruit young people for the General Electoral Union. SNU however refuted the idea of an age limit, as the organization wished to exert more political influence of its own.
Due to this, Arvid Lindman declared that the National Youth League no longer was considered the youth organisation of the Swedish right in 1934. While a new right-wing youth league emerged - what later became the Moderate Youth League
- the National Youth League eventually re-organised as a political party named the National Youth League and League of Sweden (Sveriges Nationella Ungdomsförbundet och Förbund, SNUoF).
In 1934 the small pro-German
National Labour League (Nationella Arbetsförbundet) merged into SNUoF.
The group contested the 1935 municipal elections, gaining 70 seats throughout the country. The same year the name was changed to National League of Sweden (Sveriges Nationella Förbund). Anti-semitism
became a more prominent feature of the party. At this time its membership was around 40 000.
The party contested the 1936 general elections. With a mere 31 015 votes, the SNL did not win any seat in the parliament. The following year, on October 10, 1937 the National League New Sweden of Per Engdahl
merged into SNF. Engdahl was allotted the position of vice-chairman of SNF.
At its national conference in 1938 SNF officially adopted a party programme, describing themselves as Corporative, New Swedish, Radical, Nationalist and Socialist. In the same year the Swedish Front of Bengt-Olov Ljungberg was attached to the party. Under Ljungberg's direction, the youth wing National Youth was built up in 1939.
In 1941 Engdahl broke away from SNF. Along with him left many prominent party members, like Ljungberg, and a major section of the youth wing. Engdahl and his followers formed Swedish Opposition. The same year SNF started received financial support from the German state to publish the newspaper Dagsposten from Stockholm. Along with the Socialist Party (a former Communist party also receiving financial aid from Nazi Germany) it was the latest pro-Nazi party to hold elective officials in Sweden.
, but the same year the entire Helsingborg unit merged into the Right-wing Party
. The main activity of SNF was the publishing of Dagsposten, which in 1952 got substituted with Fria Ord. When Christian Democratic Rally
(KDS) emerged as a new political party in the 1960s, SNF tried to infiltrate it.
In 1980 SNF and the New Swedish Movement
of Engdahl merged. The unity did not last, and in 1982 the two organization parted ways. SNF has suffered from internal disputes and splits, and at least three separate SNFs have been in existence. One of the current existing groups claiming the name is attached to the NSDAP/AO
of Gary Lauck.
Moderate Party
The Moderate Party is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1904 as the General Electoral League by a group of conservatives in the Swedish parliament...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. It was dislodged from its mother party in 1934 due to its pro-Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
stance. It was then reconstructed as a separate political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, the National League of Sweden. After the Second World War, the political fortunes of the group dwindled.
As the right-wing youth league
SNU was founded on October 16, 1915 at Hotell Kronprinsen in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. The organisation, though never formally recognized, became the youth referent of the General Electoral Union.
During the late 1920s SNU became politically radicalized. The radicalization was accentuated by the election of Elmo Lindholm as the SNU chairman. In 1931 the organization had 35 460 members, and was steadily growing. Eventually SNU organised a militant kamporganisation (struggle organisation, modelled after the German SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
) which were supposed to combat political enemies in the streets. The kamporganisation had grey shirts, blue ties and blue armbands. The League supported the 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...
Nazis after 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...
came to power in 1933.
The 1930s saw many harsh conflicts within the Conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
movement in Sweden on how to relate to the emerging Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. During 1933 the General Electoral Union arranged a number of demonstrations against both Nazism and communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
. Arvid Lindman
Arvid Lindman
Salomon Arvid Achates Lindman was a Swedish Rear Admiral, Industrialist and conservative politician...
, the leader of the party, clearly stated that Nazis were not accepted within his party.
Another issue of contention was whether there should have been any age limit for SNU membership. The General Electoral Union pushed for 35 years as an upper limit for SNU members, as well as a formal understanding that the role of SNU was to recruit young people for the General Electoral Union. SNU however refuted the idea of an age limit, as the organization wished to exert more political influence of its own.
Due to this, Arvid Lindman declared that the National Youth League no longer was considered the youth organisation of the Swedish right in 1934. While a new right-wing youth league emerged - what later became the Moderate Youth League
Moderate Youth League
The Moderate Youth League , officially known in English as the Swedish Young Conservatives, is the youth wing of the Swedish Moderate Party. It had 12 051 members in 2010...
- the National Youth League eventually re-organised as a political party named the National Youth League and League of Sweden (Sveriges Nationella Ungdomsförbundet och Förbund, SNUoF).
As a political party
In the General Electoral Union-SNU split, three conservative MPs sided with SNUoF. These were Alf Meyerhöffer, Gösta Jacobsson and John Gustafsson. These three parliamentarians formed their own independent faction within parliament, dubbed Nationella Gruppen (the "National Faction"). None of them would see re-election in 1936 (see below).In 1934 the small pro-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...
National Labour League (Nationella Arbetsförbundet) merged into SNUoF.
The group contested the 1935 municipal elections, gaining 70 seats throughout the country. The same year the name was changed to National League of Sweden (Sveriges Nationella Förbund). 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...
became a more prominent feature of the party. At this time its membership was around 40 000.
The party contested the 1936 general elections. With a mere 31 015 votes, the SNL did not win any seat in the parliament. The following year, on October 10, 1937 the National League New Sweden of Per Engdahl
Per Engdahl
Per Claes Sven Edvard Engdahl was a leading Swedish far right politician. He was the leader of Sveriges Fascistiska Kamporganisation, SFKO during the 1920's.-Career:...
merged into SNF. Engdahl was allotted the position of vice-chairman of SNF.
At its national conference in 1938 SNF officially adopted a party programme, describing themselves as Corporative, New Swedish, Radical, Nationalist and Socialist. In the same year the Swedish Front of Bengt-Olov Ljungberg was attached to the party. Under Ljungberg's direction, the youth wing National Youth was built up in 1939.
In 1941 Engdahl broke away from SNF. Along with him left many prominent party members, like Ljungberg, and a major section of the youth wing. Engdahl and his followers formed Swedish Opposition. The same year SNF started received financial support from the German state to publish the newspaper Dagsposten from Stockholm. Along with the Socialist Party (a former Communist party also receiving financial aid from Nazi Germany) it was the latest pro-Nazi party to hold elective officials in Sweden.
Disintegration in the Post-war era
After the war SNF was severely isolated. In the 1946 municipal election it could only win 3 municipal seats in HelsingborgHelsingborg
Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
, but the same year the entire Helsingborg unit merged into the Right-wing Party
Moderate Party
The Moderate Party is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1904 as the General Electoral League by a group of conservatives in the Swedish parliament...
. The main activity of SNF was the publishing of Dagsposten, which in 1952 got substituted with Fria Ord. When Christian Democratic Rally
Christian Democrats (Sweden)
The Christian Democrats ) is a political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1964 but did not enter parliament until 1985 in an electoral cooperation with the Centre Party and on the Christian Democrats' own accord in 1991. The leader since April 3, 2004 is Göran Hägglund. He succeeded Alf...
(KDS) emerged as a new political party in the 1960s, SNF tried to infiltrate it.
In 1980 SNF and the New Swedish Movement
New Swedes
The New Swedish Movement is a far-right political movement in Sweden that emphasized strong Swedish nationalism, corporatism, anti-Semitism and anti-communism as well as a cult of personality around Per Engdahl who founded the organization in 1941...
of Engdahl merged. The unity did not last, and in 1982 the two organization parted ways. SNF has suffered from internal disputes and splits, and at least three separate SNFs have been in existence. One of the current existing groups claiming the name is attached to the NSDAP/AO
NSDAP/AO
The NSDAP/AO was the Foreign Organization branch of the National Socialist German Workers Party . AO is the abbreviation of the German compound word Auslands-Organisation...
of Gary Lauck.