The German Neo-Nazi fascination with North Korea



Analysis The German Neo-Nazi fascination with North Korea Lesser-known Strasserite Nazi faction key to understanding admiration for Pyongyang Benjamin R. Young December 3, 2013 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON Flickr Creative Commons Though North Korea is often labeled “communist” or even “Stalinist” by Western pundits, some German Neo-Nazis view the country in a different light. For these individuals, North Korea is a model for the German Neo-Nazi movement. After the collapse of the Communist Bloc, North Korea appealed to Neo-Nazis, especially those from the former East Germany. These Neo-Nazis, having grown up under a socialist government, were more sympathetic to Pyongyang’s form of government. It also helped that North Korea withstood the collapse of the Soviet Union and did not reform like China. North Korea appeared to have a purer and © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Analysis

The German Neo-Nazi fascination with North Korea

Lesser-known Strasserite Nazi faction key to understanding admiration for Pyongyang

Benjamin R. Young December 3, 2013

The German Neo-Nazi fascination with North Korea

Flickr Creative Commons

Though North Korea is often labeled “communist” or even “Stalinist” by Western pundits, some German Neo-Nazis view the country in a different light. For these individuals, North Korea is a model for the German Neo-Nazi movement.

After the collapse of the Communist Bloc, North Korea appealed to Neo-Nazis, especially those from the former East Germany. These Neo-Nazis, having grown up under a socialist government, were more sympathetic to Pyongyang’s form of government. It also helped that North Korea withstood the collapse of the Soviet Union and did not reform like China. North Korea appeared to have a purer and

About the Author

Benjamin R. Young

Benjamin R. Young, Ph.D. has taught at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dakota State University and the U.S. Naval War College. He was a 2024-25 Stanton Foundation Nuclear Security Fellow at the RAND Corporation. He is now an Assistant Professor of Intelligence Studies at Fayetteville State University. He is the author of the book "Guns, Guerillas, and the Great Leader: North Korea and the Third World" (Stanford University Press, 2021).

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