Antifa

The antifa movement has a long history shaped by a number of crises and transformations. Its origins can be traced back to the efforts made by Italian activists in the 1920s against dictator Benito Mussolini. In Germany, it was above all communists who called on a broad front to unite against the consolidating strength of National Socialism, although they were not ultimately able to prevent them from taking power. Even today, the German antifascist movement is at odds about the lessons that can be drawn from the Nazi dictatorship, World War II, and the Holocaust. After 1945, various parties and victims' associations were founded, taking up the cause of "never again fascism." In the late 1970s the first "autonomous antifa groups" were created and covered a wide spectrum of activities, from education to willful damage to property and violent attacks on political opponents. Due to their affinity for violence, these groups still dominate the public's idea of what is fundamentally a broad collective movement that comprises various leftist currents, initiatives, NGOs, parties, and unions. In this book, Richard Rohrmoser traces the historical development of the multifaceted antifascist movement since its inception and outlines the field of tension in which it now finds itself, ranging from civil engagement to a radical willingness to commit violence.