The Norwegian Front ( no, Norsk Front, NF) was a

neo-fascist Neo-fascism is a post-World War II far-right ideology that includes significant elements of fascism. Neo-fascism usually includes ultranationalism, racial supremacy, populism, authoritarianism, nativism, xenophobia, and anti-immigration s ...

extraparliamentary political party in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

founded in 1975, led by

Erik Blücher Erik Blücher or Tor Erik Nilsen (born 29 May 1953) is a Norwegian former neo-nazi activist. In 1975 Erik Blücher founded the national political party Norwegian Front on the foundation of the tiny organization National Youth League, where he ...

as ''fører''. Following a bomb attack by an activist from the party, the NF was dissolved in 1979 and succeeded by the National People's Party (''Nasjonalt Folkeparti'', NF), which itself was dissolved in 1991 after several leading members had received long prison sentences following another bomb attack. The NF had around 1,400 members at its peak.

History

Norwegian Front

The NF was founded in 1975 as a successor to the minor National Youth League (''Nasjonal Ungdomsfylking'', NUF), affiliated with former members of

Nasjonal Samling Nasjonal Samling (, NS; ) was a Norwegian far-right political party active from 1933 to 1945. It was the only legal party of Norway from 1942 to 1945. It was founded by former minister of defence Vidkun Quisling and a group of supporters such ...

. It was founded by a young generation of

neo-Nazis Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and racial supremacy (often white supremacy), attack ...

nationalists Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

and

anti-communists Anti-communism is political and ideological opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in the Russian Empire, and it reached global dimensions during the Cold War, when the United States and the ...

, and areas of focus included opposition to immigration, fight against the Workers' Communist Party as well as "American finance capital", and

Holocaust denial Holocaust denial is an antisemitic conspiracy theory that falsely asserts that the Nazi genocide of Jews, known as the Holocaust, is a myth, fabrication, or exaggeration. Holocaust deniers make one or more of the following false statements: ...

. After being prevented from registering publicly as a political party, and following repeated attacks from

anti-fascists Anti-fascism is a political movement in opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals. Beginning in European countries in the 1920s, it was at its most significant shortly before and during World War II, where the Axis powers were ...

, the group turned towards violence and terrorism which garnered much media attention. The party had links to the French National Front and the

World Anti-Communist League The World League for Freedom and Democracy (WLFD) is an international non-governmental organization of anti-communist politicians and groups. It was founded in 1952 as the World Anti-Communist League (WACL) under the initiative of Chiang Kai-sh ...

(WACL). The 12th WACL general conference in

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

in 1979 was attended by a delegate from the party, whose journey was reportedly subsidised by the leader of the

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

delegation Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom. Some members of the party reportedly fought for Rhodesia in the

Rhodesian Bush War The Rhodesian Bush War, also called the Second as well as the Zimbabwe War of Liberation, was a civil conflict from July 1964 to December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe-Rhodesia). The conflict pitted three for ...

. The NF was dissolved in 1979 after an activist from the group threw a homemade bomb against the annual

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Tr ...

demonstration, leaving two people wounded.

National People's Party

Not long after the party was succeeded by the National People's Party, effectively the same party. Opposition to immigration became its main focus. Blücher however stepped down as leader in 1981 to pursue extreme-right connections abroad. On 13 June 1985 a young activist from the party detonated a bomb outside an

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

Ahmadiyya Ahmadiyya (, ), officially the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community or the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at (AMJ, ar, الجماعة الإسلامية الأحمدية, al-Jamāʿah al-Islāmīyah al-Aḥmadīyah; ur, , translit=Jamā'at Aḥmadiyyah Musl ...

mosque. Several of the party's leading members received prison sentences in the aftermath of the bombing for various activist offences. The party was dissolved in 1991, and remaining members were encouraged to join the Fatherland Party.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Norwegian Front 1975 establishments in Norway 1991 disestablishments in Norway Anti-communist parties Defunct political parties in Norway Far-right political parties in Norway Holocaust denial in Norway Nationalist parties in Norway Neo-fascist terrorism Neo-Nazi organizations Neo-Nazism in Norway Political parties established in 1975 Political parties disestablished in 1991 Terrorism in Norway