Völkisch nationalism


Völkisch nationalism is a German far-right ultranationalist, ethno-nationalist and racial nationalist ideology. It assumes the essentialist design as Völker or Volksgruppen, which are described as closed ethnic-biological and ethnic-cultural units within a hierarchy of such populations. Völkisch nationalism influenced Japanese minzoku nationalism.
At times, Völkisch nationalism was a broad and predominant ideological view in Central Europe, represented in numerous nationalist, typically explicitly antisemitic and other racist associations of all kinds with many publications and well-known personalities. It differentiates itself from the Völkisch movement by being a more vague and not inherently antisemitic ideology. Today, particularly in Germany, ethnopluralism is viewed as standing in the same tradition as Völkisch nationalism.

History

Towards the end of the 19th century, the movement gained influence over the political and cultural debate in Central Europe. Its historical significance was found in its own nationalism, especially in the German Reich. German Protestantism is considered to be its social support and its "necessary ideal condition". From an ideological perspective, the "bourgeois-Protestant mentality" has become increasingly German-Völkisch since the Reichsgründung. A nationally charged Protestantism of the Reich thus led to the Nazi concept of the German Christians.
The Völkisch movement, to which the German national associations and the NSDAP belonged – whose party organ was the Völkischer Beobachter – rejected the Weimar Constitution and represented Völkische Gemeinschaftlichkeitskonzepte. The biological and cultural homogeneity of the "Volks" as a "Abstammungsgemeinschaft" and the "exclusion or destruction of the heterogeneous" were invoked. Völkische concepts such as "Volkstum", "Lebensraum" and above all "Volksgemeinschaft" were widespread in large parts of the German population and especially within the "Fatherland Camp", thus an integral part of the Nazi programming.
From the postwar era to today, Völkisch nationalism is rejected by the mainstream German political circles. But with the rise of right-wing populism since the 2010s, these political movements have grown somewhat again in Germany; Der Flügel was the name of the Völkisch nationalist and right-wing extremist group within the Alternative for Germany.

Characteristics

Völkisch nationalism means the rise of their own Volks defined by common descent, culture and language, and the desire for a homogeneous population by excluding foreigners. The people become a collective subject. It forms a hierarchical value of the Völker.
German social scientist calls seven core elements of a Völkisch nationalism:
  1. The equality of "Volk" or "nation". the idea of a homogeneous "nation" according to racist criteria.
  2. the rise of the "Volk" to a collective subject in the sense of ethnic groups and the subordination of specific interests under the primacy of the "Volksgemeinschaft".
  3. The justification of a "strong state" that organizes the Volksgemeinschaft through "national" elites and/or charismatic leadership.
  4. the heroization of the "decent Volksgenosse" who puts himself in the service of his community with body and soul and brings for these sacrifices.
  5. the Völkisch or racist construction of an "internal enemy" responsible for setbacks in the realization of the Volksgemeinschaft and has an identity-building and consensus-building function as a negative projection area for the Volksgemeinschaft.
  6. A biopolitical understanding of the Volkskörper that wants to keep or make it healthy and strong through population policy.
  7. A chauvinistic idea of power.

''Völkisch'' nationalist groups

Current

Defunct

Der Stahlhelm, Bund der FrontsoldatenFreikorps