Erik Blücher
Encyclopedia
Erik Blücher or Tor Erik Nilsen (born 1953) is a Norwegian former neo-nazi activist.
In 1975 Erik Blücher founded the national political party Norsk Front (Norwegian Front) on the foundation of the tiny organization Nasjonal Ungdomsfylking (NUF – National Youth Organization), where he himself became the leader. The party changed its name in 1980 to Nasjonalt Folkeparti. I 1983 Blücher moved to Helsingborg
in Sweden
and changed his name to Erik Nilsen. In a 2006 interview with Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad
, the first interview he made since retiring from the public spotlight in the 1980s, he calls to account neo-nazism which he calls a "disastrous cul-de-sac" and a "scourge which has wreaked destruction for both friends and enemies." There he also claims he was never a nazi, only a nationalist
, however this is refuted by organizations which keep a tab on neo-nazi activity across Europe.
in a bourgeois home. His parents were politically inactive apart from voting for the conservatives. His father had been honoured for his participation in the resistance movement during World War II. Nilsen has described himself as a somewhat dull but well-adapted child. He was the primary candidate for the editorship of his high school newspaper.
, but having written an article where he called for a party to the right of the Conservative Party, he was present at the 1973 foundation meeting of Anders Lange's Party, a tax protest party which would evolve to become the Progress Party
, today one of Norway's biggest political parties. Even there he was too radical. When Norsk Front was established Erik Blücher was its chairman from the outset. He attained to instant notoriety across the country on May 30, 1975 following his participation in a televised discussion program. He and his organization became intensely demonized from day one. Inquiries among ordinary people published by the mainstream media would readily call for the neo-nazis to be strung up from the nearest lamppost. The main causes championed by Blücher and his group were to fight off the communists, in particular the newly formed marxist-leninist Workers' Communist Party
(AKP(m-l)) and the beginning migration of foreign worker
s from mostly Pakistan
. In the 2006 interview Nilsen states that nobody in Norway after WWII has suffered as much because of their political convictions as he has.
In 1975 Erik Blücher founded the national political party Norsk Front (Norwegian Front) on the foundation of the tiny organization Nasjonal Ungdomsfylking (NUF – National Youth Organization), where he himself became the leader. The party changed its name in 1980 to Nasjonalt Folkeparti. I 1983 Blücher moved to Helsingborg
Helsingborg
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...
in 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....
and changed his name to Erik Nilsen. In a 2006 interview with Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad
Stavanger Aftenblad
Stavanger Aftenblad or simply Aftenbladet is a daily newspaper in Stavanger, Norway. It was founded in 1893 by the priest Lars Oftedal, and was for a long period a publication for the Liberal Party. It had a circulation of 68,186 copies in 2005...
, the first interview he made since retiring from the public spotlight in the 1980s, he calls to account neo-nazism which he calls a "disastrous cul-de-sac" and a "scourge which has wreaked destruction for both friends and enemies." There he also claims he was never a nazi, only a nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
, however this is refuted by organizations which keep a tab on neo-nazi activity across Europe.
Early life
Nilsen grew up in MossMoss, Norway
is a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
in a bourgeois home. His parents were politically inactive apart from voting for the conservatives. His father had been honoured for his participation in the resistance movement during World War II. Nilsen has described himself as a somewhat dull but well-adapted child. He was the primary candidate for the editorship of his high school newspaper.
Political activism
He became a member of the Norwegian Young ConservativesNorwegian Young Conservatives
Norwegian Young Conservatives is a Norwegian youth party. Its ideology is liberal conservatism, and the party is in many ways more liberal than its mother party, Conservative Party of Norway. Henrik Asheim succeeded Torbjørn Røe Isaksen as leader in 2008.- Leaders :...
, but having written an article where he called for a party to the right of the Conservative Party, he was present at the 1973 foundation meeting of Anders Lange's Party, a tax protest party which would evolve to become the Progress Party
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
, today one of Norway's biggest political parties. Even there he was too radical. When Norsk Front was established Erik Blücher was its chairman from the outset. He attained to instant notoriety across the country on May 30, 1975 following his participation in a televised discussion program. He and his organization became intensely demonized from day one. Inquiries among ordinary people published by the mainstream media would readily call for the neo-nazis to be strung up from the nearest lamppost. The main causes championed by Blücher and his group were to fight off the communists, in particular the newly formed marxist-leninist Workers' Communist Party
Workers' Communist Party (Norway)
The Workers' Communist Party was a Norwegian communist party . AKP was a maoist party and one of two communist parties in Norway; the other was the older Communist Party of Norway which has remained pro-Soviet. The relationship between the two parties was characterized by strong hostility.AKP was...
(AKP(m-l)) and the beginning migration of foreign worker
Foreign worker
A foreign worker is a person who works in a country other than the one of which he or she is a citizen. The term migrant worker as discussed in the migrant worker page is used in a particular UN resolution as a synonym for "foreign worker"...
s from mostly Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. In the 2006 interview Nilsen states that nobody in Norway after WWII has suffered as much because of their political convictions as he has.