World Union of National Socialists
Encyclopedia
The World Union of National Socialists is an organisation founded in 1962 as an umbrella group for neo-Nazi organisations across the globe.
, George Lincoln Rockwell
, visited England
and met with National Socialist Movement
chief Colin Jordan
and the two agreed to work towards developing an international link-up between movements. This resulted in the 1962 Cotswold Declaration which was signed by neo-Nazis from the United States
, Britain, France
(Savitri Devi), West Germany
(Bruno Ludtke), Austria
and Belgium
. More member nations would join later throughout the decade including Argentina
, Australia
, Chile
, Ireland
, South Africa
, Japan
and others.
, who attempted to extend the influence of the group by appointing Danish
neo-Nazi Povl Riis-Knudsen
as general secretary. However a split began to develop over the insistence of Koehl that Nazism
should also serve as a religion
, and eventually he broke away from the WUNS to lead his own version of Nazi mysticism
.
The split fundamentally weakened the WUNS and its influence declined strongly, despite attempts by Jordan to reinvigorate it. After the death of Jordan on April 9, 2009 the leadership of WUNS once again returned to Matt Koehl.
the group was represented by the Canadian Nazi Party
, whose leader William John Beattie
was chief of the WUNS in the country. They were also active in South America
through the Partido Nationalsocialista Chileno, a group set up in Chile
by former 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Standartenführer
Franz Pfeiffer and the Frente Nacional Socialista Argentino of Argentina
was an affiliate group.
were members. Denmark
was also an important centre as the National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark, a rump group of the old pre-war movement, affiliated under Sven Salicath, a close follower of Rockwell whilst its replacement, the National Socialist Movement of Denmark
, also joined up. Elsewhere in Scandinavia
the Nordic Reich Party
of Sweden
maintained independence but co-operated closely with WUNS nonetheless. and Bernhard Haarde formed a WUNS group in Iceland
, claiming around 300 supporters. Bernhard was the brother of future Prime Minister, Geir Haarde
. A minor party in the Republic of Ireland
, the National Socialist Irish Workers Party, was also affialiated.
and the National Socialist Party of Australia were affiliated to the WUNS.
Formation
The movement came about when the leader of the American Nazi PartyAmerican Nazi Party
The American Nazi Party was an American political party founded by discharged U.S. Navy Commander George Lincoln Rockwell. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Rockwell initially called it the World Union of Free Enterprise National Socialists , but later renamed it the American Nazi Party in...
, George Lincoln Rockwell
George Lincoln Rockwell
George Lincoln Rockwell was the founder of the American Nazi Party. Rockwell was a major figure in the neo-Nazi movement in the United States, and his beliefs and writings have continued to be influential among white nationalists and neo-Nazis.-Early life:Rockwell was born in Bloomington,...
, visited England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and met with National Socialist Movement
National Socialist Movement (1960s)
The National Socialist Movement was a British Neo-Nazi group formed on 20 April 1962, Adolf Hitler's birthday, by Colin Jordan, with John Tyndall as his deputy as a splinter group from the original British National Party of the 1960s.-Formation:...
chief Colin Jordan
Colin Jordan
John Colin Campbell Jordan was a leading figure in postwar Neo-Nazism in Britain. In the far-right nationalist circles of the 1960s, Jordan represented the most explicitly 'Nazi' inclination in his open use of the styles and symbols of the Third Reich.Through organisations such as the National...
and the two agreed to work towards developing an international link-up between movements. This resulted in the 1962 Cotswold Declaration which was signed by neo-Nazis from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Britain, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(Savitri Devi), West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
(Bruno Ludtke), Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. More member nations would join later throughout the decade including Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and others.
Splits
Following Rockwell's assassination in 1967, control of the WUNS passed to Matt KoehlMatt Koehl
Matt Koehl is the leader of a self-defined religious organization called the New Order. As deputy commander, in August 1967 Koehl succeeded the assassinated George Lincoln Rockwell as 'Commander' of the National Socialist White People's Party...
, who attempted to extend the influence of the group by appointing Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
neo-Nazi Povl Riis-Knudsen
Povl Riis-Knudsen
Povl Heinrich Riis-Knudsen is a prominent Danish Neo-Nazi.Riis-Knudsen is best known as the author of the articles National Socialism: A Left Wing Movement and National Socialism: The Biological World View .-Life and ideas:...
as general secretary. However a split began to develop over the insistence of Koehl that Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
should also serve as a religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, and eventually he broke away from the WUNS to lead his own version of Nazi mysticism
Nazi mysticism
Speculation about Nazism and occultism has become part of popular culture since 1959. Aside from several popular documentaries, there are numerous books on the topic, most notably The Morning of the Magicians and The Spear of Destiny ....
.
The split fundamentally weakened the WUNS and its influence declined strongly, despite attempts by Jordan to reinvigorate it. After the death of Jordan on April 9, 2009 the leadership of WUNS once again returned to Matt Koehl.
Associated groups
A number of groups have become members of the WUNS or accepted association to the group down the years.Americas
Given the leadership of Rockwell and Koehl the American Nazi Party and its successor the National Socialist White People's Party were the main constituent groups of the WUNS. In CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
the group was represented by the Canadian Nazi Party
Canadian Nazi Party
The Canadian National Socialist Party known as the Canadian Nazi Party existed from 1965 to 1978. It was led by William John Beattie....
, whose leader William John Beattie
William John Beattie
William John Beattie was the founder and former leader of the Canadian Nazi Party. The establishment of the Canadian Nazi Party, re-named the National Socialist Party in 1967, marked a re-emergence of organized neo-Nazi activity in Canada that had been dormant since the days of Adrian Arcand...
was chief of the WUNS in the country. They were also active in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
through the Partido Nationalsocialista Chileno, a group set up in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
by former 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
Standartenführer
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
Franz Pfeiffer and the Frente Nacional Socialista Argentino of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
was an affiliate group.
Europe
The WUNS was founded in Europe and so the NSM and its successor British MovementBritish Movement
The British Movement , later called the British National Socialist Movement , is a British neo-Nazi organisation founded by Colin Jordan in 1968. It grew out of the National Socialist Movement , which was founded in 1962...
were members. Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
was also an important centre as the National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark, a rump group of the old pre-war movement, affiliated under Sven Salicath, a close follower of Rockwell whilst its replacement, the National Socialist Movement of Denmark
National Socialist Movement of Denmark
The National Socialist Movement of Denmark , also known as the DNSB, is a neo-Nazi political party in Denmark. The movement traces its origins back to DNSAP , the Danish Nazi party founded in the mid-1930s, more or less as a copy of Hitler's German NSDAP...
, also joined up. Elsewhere in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
the Nordic Reich Party
Nordic Reich Party
The Nordic National Party was a Neo-Nazi political party in Sweden, founded in 1956 as the National Socialist Combat League of Sweden by Göran Assar Oredsson...
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....
maintained independence but co-operated closely with WUNS nonetheless. and Bernhard Haarde formed a WUNS group in Iceland
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...
, claiming around 300 supporters. Bernhard was the brother of future Prime Minister, Geir Haarde
Geir Haarde
Geir Hilmar Haarde was Prime Minister of Iceland from 15 June 2006 to 1 February 2009 and Chairman of the Icelandic Independence Party from 2005 to 2009. Geir initially led a coalition between his party and the Progressive Party...
. A minor party in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, the National Socialist Irish Workers Party, was also affialiated.
Oceania
Both the National Socialist Party of New ZealandNational Socialist Party of New Zealand
The National Socialist Party of New Zealand, sometimes simply called the New Zealand Nazi Party, was a far-right political party in New Zealand. It promulgated the same basic views as Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party in Germany, and had a particular focus on Jews and the banking sector.From 1969 the party...
and the National Socialist Party of Australia were affiliated to the WUNS.
Current membership
The group currently claims the affiliation of a number of minor movements, many of which appear to be internet only. Those claimed by the WUNS are:- BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
- Frente de Accion Patriota - BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
- The Great Sarmatian Brotherhood - CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- National-Socialist Party of Canada - ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
- Movimiento Nacionalsocialista del os Trabajadores Chilenos, Movimiento Gancho del Lobo, IMNS, Troops of Tomorrow Chile Division - Costa RicaCosta RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
- Resistencia Ideologica Nacional Socialista de Costa Rica - EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
- Estland88 - FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- Suomen Kansallissosialistinen Työväenpuolue, SKSTP-NSFAP - FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
- Mouvement National-Socialiste Français, PHENIX - GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
- European Nationalism and Hellenic Nationalism - GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
- Frente Nacional Socialista de Guatemala - IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
- Naska Party - ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- Comunità politica di Avanguardia, Movimento Fascismo e LIbertàFascism and Freedom MovementThe Fascism and Freedom Movement is an Italian fascist party. It was formed in 1991 by senator Giorgio Pisanò.It is the only recognised party in Italy with the inscription "Fascismo" on its logo.... - JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
- National Socialist Japanese Workers Party - MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
- Mexico National-Socialist Party, Sol Negro - NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
- National Socialist Movement of NorwayNational Socialist Movement of NorwayThe National Socialist Movement of Norway , also known as the NNSB, is a Norwegian National Socialist group with around fifty members, led by Erik Rune Hansen, and is based in Eidsvoll. The group denies the Holocaust, and are self titled anti-globalists. Many of its members were allegedly active... - PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
- Tercios Nacional Socialistas, MNSDP - RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
- Romanian National Vanguard, Front 14 Romania, Victoria Finala - RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- National-Socialist of Ufacity, Russian National Unity (Russia), Slavic Alliance - SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
- Rasonalisti Serbia - SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- National Alliance, NuevOrden España - SwedenSwedenSweden , 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....
- National Socialist Movement Nordic-Scandinavia Unit, Sveriges Nationella Förbund - UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
- National Alliance for Freedom Ukrainian Falange, Ukrainian Falange Blog - United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- November 9th SocietyNovember 9th SocietyThe British First Party is a British neo-Nazi group, formed in 1977 by Terry Flynn.-History:...
, British Free Corps, British Peoples PartyBritish Peoples Party (2005)The British People's Party, also known as "BPP - Putting Britons First" is the third incarnation of a name used by other neo-Nazi political parties in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 18 September 2005 by Kevin Watmough, Eddy Morrison and John G. Wood as a splinter group from the Nationalist... - United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- National Socialist MovementNational Socialist Movement (United States)The National Socialist Movement is a neo-Nazi party operating in the United States. The group was founded in 1974 by Robert Brannen, former member of the American Nazi Party before its decline. The group claims to be the largest and most active neo-Nazi organization in the United States. Its...
, Final Solution 88 - VenezuelaVenezuelaVenezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
- Partido NS Venezolano.