Nationalist Party (Iceland)
Encyclopedia
The Nationalist Party was a minor Iceland
ic political party
that espoused a limited form of Nazism
before and during the Second World War
.
The party was formed in March 1934 through a merger between the Icelandic Nationalist Movement (an anti-communist
and anti-democratic
ginger group
) and the Icelandic Nationalist Party (a politicized splinter group of the former). The party aimed to protect the ethnic identity of the Icelanders
and believed in the supremacy of the Aryan race
and anti-Semitism
. They supported agricultural reform and were sympathetic to corporatism
, whilst looking for the government to invest in industrialization. They also sought to abolish the Althing
and replace it with a corporate parliament. The party also rejected the left-right dichotomy
and presented themselves as a radical alternative for Icelandic politics. In all, they were more influenced by the ideas of Frits Clausen
than those of Adolf Hitler
and there is no evidence to suggest any direct link to Nazi Germany
.
Adopting some of the militaristic trappings of fascism
, the party organised a number of marching squads which paraded on May 1 carrying both the Icelandic flag
and the swastika
. Members dressed in grey shirts and wore armbands decorated with a red swastika. The party produced a newspaper Ísland (Iceland) and a periodical Mjölnir (named after Thor's hammer), although they did not adopt the führerprinzip
associated with Nazism as the movement had four different leaders in its brief life.
The Nationalist Party failed to gain representation, except on the University of Iceland
Student Council, where they held one seat for four years running. They did, however, gain attention in 1936 when they obtained a copy of the diary of the Minister of Finance and published details in Ísland. The party offices were raided by police and a number of leading members arrested, although ultimately there were no convictions.
The party, which never had more than 450 members, began to decline after this. 1938 was the last year in which the marching squads appeared, whilst the 1939 Aims of the Nationalist Party was their last major publication, apart from sporadic issues of Island. They organised a debating club in Reykjavík
during the winter of 1939-1940 although it had no impact and the party generally only met in local cells from then on. The party was formally disbanded in 1944 when German defeat looked inevitable.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic 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...
that espoused a limited form of Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
before and during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The party was formed in March 1934 through a merger between the Icelandic Nationalist Movement (an anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
and anti-democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
ginger group
Ginger group
A ginger group is a formal or informal group within, for example, a political party seeking to inspire the rest with its own enthusiasm and activity....
) and the Icelandic Nationalist Party (a politicized splinter group of the former). The party aimed to protect the ethnic identity of the Icelanders
Icelanders
Icelanders are a Scandinavian ethnic group and a nation, native to Iceland.On 17 June 1944, when an Icelandic republic was founded the Icelanders became independent from the Danish monarchy. The language spoken is Icelandic, a North Germanic language, and Lutheranism is the predominant religion...
and believed in the supremacy of the Aryan race
Aryan race
The Aryan race is a concept historically influential in Western culture in the period of the late 19th century and early 20th century. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive race or...
and 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...
. They supported agricultural reform and were sympathetic to corporatism
Corporatism
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
, whilst looking for the government to invest in industrialization. They also sought to abolish the Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
and replace it with a corporate parliament. The party also rejected the left-right dichotomy
Left-Right politics
The left–right political spectrum is a common way of classifying political positions, political ideologies, or political parties along a one-dimensional political spectrum. The perspective of Left vs. Right is a binary interpretation of complex questions...
and presented themselves as a radical alternative for Icelandic politics. In all, they were more influenced by the ideas of Frits Clausen
Frits Clausen
Frits Clausen was leader of the Danish Nazi party prior to and during World War II.Born in Aabenraa, since 1864 a part of Prussia, Clausen served in the German Army during World War I...
than those of 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...
and there is no evidence to suggest any direct link to Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
Adopting some of the militaristic trappings of fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
, the party organised a number of marching squads which paraded on May 1 carrying both the Icelandic flag
Flag of Iceland
The flag of Iceland was officially described in Law No. 34, set out on 17 June 1944, the day Iceland became a republic. The law is entitled "The Law of the National Flag of Icelanders and the State Arms" and describes the Icelandic flag as follows:...
and the swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
. Members dressed in grey shirts and wore armbands decorated with a red swastika. The party produced a newspaper Ísland (Iceland) and a periodical Mjölnir (named after Thor's hammer), although they did not adopt the führerprinzip
Führerprinzip
The Führerprinzip , German for "leader principle", prescribes the fundamental basis of political authority in the governmental structures of the Third Reich...
associated with Nazism as the movement had four different leaders in its brief life.
The Nationalist Party failed to gain representation, except on the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
Student Council, where they held one seat for four years running. They did, however, gain attention in 1936 when they obtained a copy of the diary of the Minister of Finance and published details in Ísland. The party offices were raided by police and a number of leading members arrested, although ultimately there were no convictions.
The party, which never had more than 450 members, began to decline after this. 1938 was the last year in which the marching squads appeared, whilst the 1939 Aims of the Nationalist Party was their last major publication, apart from sporadic issues of Island. They organised a debating club in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
during the winter of 1939-1940 although it had no impact and the party generally only met in local cells from then on. The party was formally disbanded in 1944 when German defeat looked inevitable.