Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Fascinated by Hitler in real Socialism
In the 1980s, segments of youth in communist Czechoslovakia began to experiment with forms of neo‑Nazism, often as a rebellious gesture against the rigid environment of “real socialism.” One of the most notorious groups was Totenkopf, founded in Brno in 1983 and led by a charismatic high‑school student with a keen interest in military history. The gang adopted Nazi symbolism and even fantasized about uncovering hidden World War II weapons. Their activities quickly escalated into racially motivated violence, targeting Roma, Arabs, and Jews, with victims subjected to slurs such as “stinking Jews” during attacks. The State Security (StB) soon uncovered the group, and its members were prosecuted and convicted. Yet, the Totenkopf affair illustrates both the persistence of extremist subcultures under authoritarian socialism, despite decades of antifascist propaganda, and the limits of state control in eradicating them.
„In some pro-fascist groups, e.g., MAFIA, ČERNÁ SMRT (BLACK DEATH), TOTENKOPF, HITLER-KLAN, SPOLEK SS-REICH, LANDSMANNSCHAFT, and others, the feeling of “great adventure” prevails as a priority among young people. The “secrecy” of activities, “strength and power”, impeccable organization, and possible “actionability” are admired.“
State Security – StB: Characteristic features of the state security situation, including tendencies in the tactics of subversive action by the West against the Czechoslovakia and other socialist states along the line of ideological diversion
Internal material of secret police from 1984, recently in the Security Services Archive – ABS
Further Reading / Sources
Kultura svépomocí. Ekonomické a politické rozměry v českém subkulturním prostředípozdního reálného socialismu a postsocialismu
Daniel, Ondřej et. al. (2016), Praha: Filosofická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy
Pravicový extremismus a radikalismus v České republice
Mareš, Miroslav (2003), Brno: Barrister & Principal. Centrum strategických studií
Neonacismus v pozdně socialistickém Československu: aktéři, ideologie, vývoj (bachaleor thesis)
Polák, Michael (2014), Praha: Univerzita Karlova