ABSTRACT
In the first half of the 20th century, right-wing extremists came to power in Germany through a gradual process and not, as sometimes suggested, more or less overnight. Extremist ideologies had slowly developed throughout the period of industrialization in the second half of the 19th century: anti-Semitism, racism, and the belief in Germany’s superior role in the world were popular reactions to modernization leading all the way up to the Holocaust several decades later (Jaschke 2006: 59ff). Preventing the return of right-wing extremism was therefore regarded as a major political challenge in Germany after World War II. This was the main motivation behind the establishment of the Grundgesetz (basic law) as a democratic constitution in 1949, with its emphasis on human rights, civil rights, and the freedom of political parties. The law also provided right-wing-extremist movements, associations, and parties with the freedom for political action. In the process of rebuilding the German party system, far-right parties such as the Deutsche Reichs-Partei (DRP) and the Sozialistische Reichspartei (SRP) were founded, gathering former National Socialist Party members and voters. Although far-right parties have so far never been particularly successful in the federal republic or even in any of the 16 states, they do still exist, some of them have existed for decades, and they are increasingly successful at recruiting and attracting younger members. Germany is not alone in witnessing these developments. Other European countries have experienced the revival of right-wing parties as well. Experts explain the phenomenon with larger social developments: globalization, growing social inequality, and high unemployment rates may be the most important ones. These may be the causes for dissatisfaction and social fears, which have always been the breeding-ground for right-wing extremism. However, the specifics of German post-war history also provide a unique environment that differs significantly from developments in other European countries.
