Death in June Reaps What It Sows
by A Supporter of Anti-Racist Action, Chicago
In early November 2004 Chicago ARA learned that the Empty Bottle was planning on hosting a show featuring the bands Death In June, Changes, and Der Blutharsch. All three of these bands were explicitly fascist and had supported various white supremacist organizations and activities. One member of the band Changes openly admits to participating in a white race riot and attacks on people of color.
The venue, Empty Bottle, claims that they had no knowledge of these bands beliefs and intentions at the time of their booking. After being informed by several local groups opposition to this show, the Empty Bottle initially released a statement claiming that they were against racism but would hold the show in the name of free speech. They argued that if people were offended by the beliefs of their bands, that people should just “change the channel”.
Several hundred angry emails and phone calls later, on the night before the show, the management of the Empty Bottle made the wise decision to cancel the show. Not because of their adherence to anti-racist beliefs, but to avoid the potential for disturbance and violence that they had realized were inherent in hosting a pro-nazi show.
On Saturday, the day of the show, we received word that a different club, Déjà Vu,would be hosting these bands. Once again, the hosting venue was saturated with angry calls and emails. The bands had done their best to mask their beliefs, and the venue, once alerted to their true nature, promptly cancelled the show. It should be noted that Deja Vu ended these shows without hollow protests of “free speech” or accusatory statements against anti racists as had the management of the Empty Bottle.
Saturday evening members of Anti Racist Action, Anarchist Skins And Punks, Midwest Unrest, and various local activists and anti racists converged at Déjà Vu to ensure that the show would not go on. Also loitering outside were various members of the rejected bands and about a dozen of their fans. At which point after talking with various fence-sitters and other confused “fans” of Death in June the nazis among them were militantly confronted by antifascists.
Some time later police converged on the scene; however, there were no arrests and at least one fascist had to leave by ambulance. After these confrontations and attempts at intel it became apparent that the bands and their supporters were out of luck at attempting to have their show in Chicago. The events provoked a lively discussion in Chicago activists circles, leading to the posting of the following background information explaining the issues to some armchair critics worried about the free speech rights of the fascists.
From Chicago IndyMedia Discussions:
Death in June (DIJ) is not a typical white power nazi band – they do not shave their heads, sing about lynching Blacks or rant about Jewish conspiracies. Nonetheless, DIJ’s unabashed support for fascist ideology and aesthetics is just as strong. Their use of fascist symbolism goes far beyond shock tactics. The artistic and philosophical message they put forward serves to create an interest and acceptance that fascist cultural activists can exploit. This is particularly dangerous at a time when the white power music business generates millions in sales each year and fascists increasingly seek to gain a foothold in new subcultures, particularly the goth, neofolk, experimental and industrial scenes. Douglas Pearce, the singer/songwriter and central person in DIJ, has always been careful to conceal his true political beliefs and avoid controversy, but a close examination of DIJ’s interests and activities reveals where his loyalties lie.
The Incriminating Evidence:
* The name “Death in June” refers to June 30, 1934, the “Night of Long Knives,” when Hitler had Ernst Roehm and other leaders of the SA (nazi stormtroopers) murdered. Roehm and his faction were highly critical of Hitler’s policies (make no mistake-they were still fascists) and are associated with a branch of fascist ideology called “National Bolshevism” spearheaded by Gregor Strasser. The National Bolsheviks argued for a more socialist version of fascism and criticized Hitler’s reliance on industrial capitalists. (Today, this branch of fascism is called the “Third Position.”)
* DIJ repeatedly use fascist and nazi symbols on their albums and on stage, including the Death’s Head (worn as a pin by nazi SS soldiers), the Life Rune (a pagan symbol commonly used by fascists) and the Black Sun (another rune used by the SS). Likewise, members of DIJ have often worn nazi Waffen-SS uniforms on stage.
* On their “Brown Book” LP, DIJ published the Horst Wessel song, the marching anthem of the SA and later the official song of the nazi party. Their song “Circo Massimo” from their “Take Care and Control” album loops a chorus from a fascist marching song. The title of their “Operation Hummingbird” album comes from a nazi military operation aimed at creating anti-gravity aircraft.
* In 1992, during Yugoslavia’s bloody civil war, Douglas Pearce visited the frontline and the HOS Miliz (Croatian fascists). Pearce made several live recordings in Croatia and then released them as a two-CD set called “Something Is Coming: Live and Studio Recordings From Croatia” that carried the red-white national flag of Croatia. Proceeds from the CD went to a Croatian (fascist) military hospital.
* In 1992, DIJ backed out and refused to play the Dark X-Mas festival in Hamburg after the organizers issued a statement condemning a spate of fascist attacks on immigrant asylums in Germany. DIJ also refused to play a 1994 “Festival of Darkness” because it was promoted as opposing racism and neo-nazism.
* DIJ songs were on a ’96 tribute to Leni Riefenstahl, a well-known Third Reich director/cinematographer. The CD was published by VAWS (Verlag und Agentur), a right-wing record-label run by Werner Symanek, who is part of the right wing in Germany and active in cultural work. VAWS has released similar tributes to nazi artists such as Arno Breker and Josef Thorak.
* DIJ/Pearce have often collaborated and played with proto-fascist industrial artist Boyd Rice/NON. Pearce and Rice have also associated with fascist/Satanist Michael Moynihan of the band Blood Axis.
* Patrick O'Kill, a former member of DIJ (now with Mother Destruction), disassociated himself from Pearce due to racism and intolerance within DIJ.
* DIJ shows have been cancelled and shut down or suffered protest numerous times on the grounds that DIJ supports fascism-in Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Germany, Switzerland and Norway, among others. In Chicago last year, the Metro cancelled a scheduled Death in June show, though it was rescheduled elsewhere (according to a promoter from American Gothic Productions, fascists did indeed attend the show).
* DIJ have a fan base among modern fascist activists, many of whom actively encourage other fascists to attend DIJ shows. (See http://www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php?t=98105 and http://www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php?p=726405#post726405 for two recent examples.)
Douglas Pearce Quotes
“The most influential man of this century has been Adolf Hitler! He’s shaped the world we live in today with his hate and destruction.”
“At the start of the eighties, Tony and I [Tony Wakefield was one of the original members of DIJ] were involved in radical left politics and beneath it history students. In search of a political view for the future we came across National Bolshevism which is closely connected with the SA hierarchy. People like Gregor Strasser and Ernst Röhm who were later known as ‘second revolutionaries’ attracted our attention.”
Cited in Misery and Purity: A History and Personal Interpretation of Death In June by Robert Forbes (Jara Press, Amersham), p. 15.
Regarding the Night of the Long Knives: “Our interest doesn’t come from killing all opposition, as it’s been interpreted, but from identification with or understanding of the leftist elements of the SA which were purged, or murdered by the SS. That day is extremely important in human history… They were planning execution or overthrow of Hitler, so he wouldn’t be around. We’d be living in a completely different world, I should imagine… It’s fascinating that a few people held the destiny of the world and mankind in their hands for those few hours and let it slip, and it could’ve gone either way.” (source: interview with Sounds magazine, 1985).
"I prefer to suck white, uncircumsised cocks of a certain age so I suppose that rules out quite a few races and religions in one huge act of sexual discrimination. However, that’s natural selection for you. It follows on that, of course race is important to me!“(Interview: http://www.dagobertsrevenge.com/index.html?ae/musick/dij )
The Argument
Some would argue that DIJ does not support fascism/nazism, but that they just use fascist imagery and symbolism either for shock value or because they simply find them aesthetically pleasing.
This argument can be taken several ways. On one hand, we are to believe that because it is artistic, that there is no political content to it. An exploration of fascist imagery could be interesting if it were juxtaposed with an exploration of the inherent dangers of fascism, but DIJ does nothing of the sort. In fact, their handling of nazi symbolism can be more accurately pinpointed as a celebration of fascist ideals.
On the other hand, we are to believe that DIJ’s use of nazi symbolism is just a marketing gimmick, a form of fascist pornography that uses controversy to garner attention and sales. According to this view, DIJ’s pro-fascist stance is just a meaningless ploy. Even Pearce has said, "Obviously people have fallen into the trap of taking it on a surface value. That is their problem.” Unfortunately, it is a problem for Pearce as well since the use of such symbolism attracts the attention of open fascists. By creating an atmosphere where fascist aesthetics and philosophy are supported, Pearce and DIJ are drawing fascists in-and they do nothing to discourage this, despite being called on it for over a decade. At best this is irresponsible, at worst reprehensible.
Der Blutharsch
Der Blutharsch (a synonym for “dried blood”) is an Austrian white power music act headed by Albin Julius in 1997, with the assistance of Death in June leader Douglass Pierce. The band takes great pride in their use of fascist symbols, and is well known for its use of Nazi imagery. Der Blutharsch attracts neo-Nazi’s and right wing extremists across Europe.
In March 2003, a concert in Clausnitz, Germany was cancelled by the German government. In a statement released by the security police concluded that Der Blutharsch have “right wing extremist tendencies.” (The statement has significant weight in Germany, given the legal impermissibility of such extremism.)
Those tendencies are evident in the packaging and music of the band. The Der Blutharsch logo is a symbol with a Sig-rune, like the Waffen-SS used. Their website also relies on the Nazi Iron Cross and the logo of the Hitler Youth. The covers of their albums are also adorned with Nazi art. The cover of the CD “Der Sieg des Lichtes ist des Lebens Heil!” (The triumph of light is the life’s “Heil”) is a part of a picture about the Varus battle, painted by the Nazi painter Werner Peiner. The cover of the CD “The pleasures received in Pain” is a reprint of the painting by Nazi artist Ferdinand Staeger. Their songs also sample lyrics from the Hitler Youth marching anthem “Forward!” and other speeches and marches. “Adesso viene IL bell” contains 8 Italian fascist songs.
On a live-video, published in 1999, named “Gold gab ich für Eisen” (I gave gold for iron) of the second tour, a “Finnish version of Lili Marleen, a popular song in Germany during World War II, was played (called "Lisa Pien”). The song was dedicated to the Europäische Freiwillige der Waffen SS and Marsch des Sturmatillerie European volunteers of the Waffen SS march of the storm artillery. The second tour was together with Death in June. At the end of the video, the second singer Wilhelm Herich shouted “Free Pinochet”.
Changes – R.N. Taylor
Changes is the re-union of a 1970’s Chicago “apocalyptic folk” band headed up by self-described “white separatist” R.N. Taylor. Active for decades in white supremacy, Taylor is no stranger to racist violence. In a 1998 interview with the British Tribal Resonance, Taylor discusses taking part in attacks against the homes of African-Americans and hanging them in effigy from lampposts in Chicago in the ’60s. Taylor went on to the right wing paramilitary “Minutemen,” a group in the 60s and early 1970s that was rife with white supremacists and Klansmen as its leadership.
In the same interview, Taylor describes his goal for racial separation in the US. The verbal map that Taylor draws for his reader parallels an actual plan for racial separation drawn by white supremacist David Duke. According to Taylor, white “separatists” would get the Pacific Northwest as a homeland, and African Americans would be moved to “America’s southlands.” In Duke's version of this concept, which was drawn for the National Association for the Advancement of White People, whites retained overall control of the country while Latino, Jews and Native Americans are moved to various relocation areas.
Taylor began sincerely putting his politics into music in the 1970s. He and some friends formed the band Changes and played mostly around Chicago. Changes was a precursor to today’s apocalyptic folk. During the time Taylor was playing with Changes, he was hanging out with members of the Process Church of Final Judgement, a British cult from led by Mary Ann and Robert DeGrimston. (Some believe DeGrimston’s misanthropic, Satanic writings influenced Charles Manson.)
Changes made a few rough recordings, some of which were recently re-mastered and released by white power musician and author Michael Moynihan. Moynihan was attracted to some of Taylor’s poetry and eventually approached him about releasing a few songs from Changes. The first seven-inch single, “Fire of Life,” came out as a joint release by Cthulhu and Storm in 1995, followed by a full length album of the same title in 1996.
