(„Identitarian movement Germany“)
**strength:**
600 members (2019)
**Short description:**
The “Identitarian Movement Germany” is an offshoot or imitation of the Identitarians from France. Here, the original, the “Bloc identitaire,” was founded in 2002/03.
Overall, the IBD can be assigned to the ideological current of the “New Right. For the “New Right,” it basically represents something like the youth organization.
Like other New Rights, the IBD tries to distinguish itself from the neo-Nazi or Old Right. This is done, among other things, by using its own symbols, such as the Greek letter lambda, or its own and seemingly unencumbered terms, such as “identity” or the New Right term “ethnopluralism.” Overall, the IB can also be seen as a new brand.
The film about the occupation of a new mosque building in Pointiers In October 2012 also went viral in German-speaking countries. Supporting this was a translation of the video into German.
The group was initially successful primarily through its own media strategy. Spectacular propaganda actions were intended to generate attention and encourage the established media in particular to report on them. One example would be a banner action by the IBD at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on August 27, 2016.
Overall, four phases of the Identitarians in Germany can be distinguished:
**1st phase (2012-14): virtual hype**
Imitation of the concept from France and founding of many online local groups. Activism often remains on the digital level.
The media report uncritically even on smaller actions such as sticker pasting.
Several right-wing groups in Germany try to profit from the virtual hype of the Identitarians, such as the NPD youth organization “Junge Nationaldemokraten.”
In November 2013, the Identitarian fashion brand “Phalanx Europa” is founded in Austria, which supplies the German-speaking region with merchandise. At the same time, it is an important source of income for the operators Patrick Lenart and Martin Sellner.
**2nd phase (2014-2017): structural formation**
The Identitarians constitute themselves as real groups from 2015 and a formal nationwide structure emerges.
Organizationally experienced extreme right-wingers ensure professionalization. Some of them come from fraternities or völkisch youth groups.
In May 2014, the registered association “Identitäre Bewegung Deutschland e.V.” was founded with supporting membership.
Since 2016, the IBD has been under observation by the domestic intelligence service “Verfassungsschutz”.
In addition to spectacular actions, the IBD organizes its own demonstrations or supports other IB actions such as the Identitarian demonstration in Vienna on June 6, 2015.
In addition, the IBD also participates in other right-wing demonstrations such as PEGIDA or the “Demo für alle”, sometimes with its own blocks.
The largest IB demonstrations in German-speaking countries mobilized just under 1,000 people.
At this time, the IBD has an estimated 2-300 activists nationwide, whose hard core is very motivated and willing to travel.
They are mainly men, mainly students between the ages of 20 and 30.
They networked throughout Europe with similar movements like “Casa Pound” in Italy.
**Phase 3 (2018-2020): Decline**
From 2017/18 onward, there is a clear decline in IBD. Observation by the domestic intelligence service jeopardizes careers and has a deterrent effect.
The media report more critically or not at all.
The constantly proclaimed membership growth proves to be a pipe dream.
An alternative is emerging in the form of the AfD and its youth organization “Junge Alternative. Some former Identitarians work as paid employees for the AfD. A simultaneous engagement in the IBD endangers this work.
In 2020, the IB was banned from the Youtube and Twitter platforms.
**4th phase (from 2020): Re-emergence**
With the emergence of protests against Corona pandemic protections in Europe from April 2020, new IB groups organize. These use the Corona protests as a new stage and meeting place for interested parties.
Under cover names, they are also increasingly active in social media again.
**Ideology**
As a representative of a völkisch nationalism, the IBD is part of the extreme right and, through its ideological reference to right-wing anti-democrats of the Weimar Republic (“Conservative Revolution”), represents a form of fascism that, however, attempts to distance itself from National Socialism.
In part, the Identitarians also take their cue from books such as the 1973 novel “The Army Camp of the Saints.”
The IBD is characterized by a media strategy that attempts to virtually force coverage.
It also repeatedly adapts elements of modern pop and youth culture. For example, the IB uses parts of the comic strip “300” by Frank Miller.
Resonant spaces of the Identitarians are the old “New Right” and the fraternities.
**Secondary source:**
– Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identitarian_movement#Germany (English)
