Exit (group)
Encyclopedia
Exit is the name of a Swedish and a German anti-Nazi organisation, as well as another Swedish organisation with broader goals. The German anti-Nazi organisation was modelled on the Swedish one. All three groups aim to provide support and rehabilitation for neo-Nazis wanting to leave that subculture, as well as support for parents and those whose work brings them into contact with (usually young) people involved in Nazism.
Particular problems that Exit is designed to address are the problems of suddenly losing the support structure offered by the Nazi subculture and the high risk of violence committed by Nazis against former members: in some cases the work of Exit is reminiscent of a witness protection program.
, and former police detective Bernd Wagner. Since 2004, the organization has been one of three pillars of the Democratic Culture Centre.
The strategies of Exit Deutschland are, according to Monika Lazar, spokeswoman for the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group on strategies to combat the far-right, rewarded by nearly 300 former neo-Nazis leaving Neo-Nazi groups by 2008.
It is funded primarily by donations from Amadeu Antonio Foundation and Freudenberg Foundation. Also, it is supported through programs of the federal government, such as "Working and Living in Diversity", Xenos and "Youth for diversity, tolerance and democracy - against right-wing extremism, xenophobia and antisemitism," and by projects of the federal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
and Brandenburg
. It was also a recipient in the years 2001 to 2005 of Stern
s "Fighting right-wing violence support" initiative with donations.
In August 2011, Exit Deutschland prepared a trojan marketing campaign at Rock für Deutschland in Thuringia
, a rock concert organized by the National Democratic Party
where the organization handed out Neo-Nazi-themed free t-shirts to 250 out of 600 concertgoers. However, the t-shirts, when washed, contained a message which exhorted the recipients to break from Neo-Nazi groups and provided contact information about Exit Deutschland. When they realized what had happened, the NPD issued warnings about the t-shirts to concertgoers via SMS.
The Swedish group was founded by former neo-Nazi Kent Lindahl.
Particular problems that Exit is designed to address are the problems of suddenly losing the support structure offered by the Nazi subculture and the high risk of violence committed by Nazis against former members: in some cases the work of Exit is reminiscent of a witness protection program.
German group
The German organisation, Exit Deutschland, was co-founded by the former leader of Nazism in what was East Germany, Ingo HasselbachIngo Hasselbach
Ingo Hasselbach is a German well known for being a former neo-Nazi. He is the author of the book Führer Ex: Memoirs of a Former Neo-Nazi , which has been translated into several languages...
, and former police detective Bernd Wagner. Since 2004, the organization has been one of three pillars of the Democratic Culture Centre.
The strategies of Exit Deutschland are, according to Monika Lazar, spokeswoman for the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group on strategies to combat the far-right, rewarded by nearly 300 former neo-Nazis leaving Neo-Nazi groups by 2008.
It is funded primarily by donations from Amadeu Antonio Foundation and Freudenberg Foundation. Also, it is supported through programs of the federal government, such as "Working and Living in Diversity", Xenos and "Youth for diversity, tolerance and democracy - against right-wing extremism, xenophobia and antisemitism," and by projects of the federal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a federal state in northern Germany. The capital city is Schwerin...
and Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
. It was also a recipient in the years 2001 to 2005 of Stern
Stern (magazine)
Stern is a weekly news magazine published in Germany. It was founded in 1948 by Henri Nannen, and is currently published by Gruner + Jahr, a subsidiary of Bertelsmann. In the first quarter of 2006, its print run was 1.019 million copies and it reached 7.84 million readers according to...
s "Fighting right-wing violence support" initiative with donations.
In August 2011, Exit Deutschland prepared a trojan marketing campaign at Rock für Deutschland in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, a rock concert organized by the National Democratic Party
National Democratic Party of Germany
The National Democratic Party of Germany – The People's Union , is a far right German nationalist party. It was founded in 1964 a successor to the German Reich Party . Party statements self-identify as Germany's "only significant patriotic force"...
where the organization handed out Neo-Nazi-themed free t-shirts to 250 out of 600 concertgoers. However, the t-shirts, when washed, contained a message which exhorted the recipients to break from Neo-Nazi groups and provided contact information about Exit Deutschland. When they realized what had happened, the NPD issued warnings about the t-shirts to concertgoers via SMS.
First Swedish group
Between 1998 and 2001, 125 Swedes were said to have left the scene out of 133 assisted by Exit - although there were some issues with claims made by the organisation, as well as accusations of improprieties relating to funds.The Swedish group was founded by former neo-Nazi Kent Lindahl.