The persistent Anti-Nazi tradition within the Hardcore Techno community

"Gegen Nazis" - Against Nazis.
A common sight on German Hardcore flyers

The anti-nazi tradition of Hardcore Techno

The Hardcore Techno community has a long tradition of opposing, resisting, and fighting fascism, nazism, and similar right-wing tendencies.
It is noteworthy that, in that regard, there has been an alliance made up of a huge variety of different social groups within the Hardcore scene:
otherwise "unpolitical" people, working class kids with a dislike against nazis, migrants, LGBTQIA+ folk, middle class anti right wing activists, squatters and free party people, "gabberpunks", street fighters, full-blooded communists and anarchists; all united in their hate against the atrocious monster that is fascism.
It's nice to see that these people, who would often disagree and argue with each other on a lot of topics, do all agree that fascism is a political horror and not a mere "opinion", a horror that needs to be fought, chased, circled in, and destroyed.

Slogan and logo originated by Mokum

Of course, at the same time, the extreme right always tried to infiltrate and corrupt the Hardcore scene; like they always try with any "youth culture". This was a problem in the past, and might be a growing problem in the future.
But for this feature, we want to look at the history of the resistance against fascism within Hardcore Techno culture.

There were campaigns, and slogans such as Mokum's "United Gabbers against Racism & Fascism"; anti-racist messages were included in vinyl cover art, booklets, or even etched into the run-outs of the record; anti fascist symbols and imagery was a common sight on flyers for hardcore, speedcore and breakcore parties of all types. And many notorious nazis who insisted in showing up to an actual gabber party were "shown the door" in a "very physical way", or to put it another way: many fights were won.


Now, let's turn the focus to the actual music: tracks that showcase this very topic in their sonic content.

1. Party Animals - Die Nazi Scum (feat. Rob Gee) (Whiplash Mix)

Mokum ran the campaign "United Gabber against Racism & Fascism" in the 90s (as mentioned above); this track, which was released on the label, too, is a good example of that mindset.
The Party Animals team up with Hardcore Legend Rob Gee to deliver a strong messages to the nazis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBOGqVCsTao


2. PCP Project - N.R.N.F.O. (Nazi Rednecks Fuck Off)

"This song is not against skinheads. It's against people who are stupid in the head. [...] Nazi Rednecks Fuck Off".
This track by PCP says it like it is.
It also addresses the "defense" by many right wing Gabbers: that those who confront the fascist thread would confuse "harmless, unpolitical skinheads" with real nazis. No, skinheads are not the problem at all. The problem are the actual nazis.
With a release date of 1991, it's one of the earliest signs of hardcore opposition against fascists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxJckv8uOZ8


3. DJ Freak Vs. Noize Creator - The Anti Nazi Pack A2

The extreme Hardcore / Speedcore scene was even more outspoken against the right wing, and this is a good proof of that.
DJ Freak and Noize Creator stir up a symphony of speed, noise, and distortion against the nazi menace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VaRJrZNie4


4. Chosen Few - Chosen Anthem (Against Racism)

Mokum once more. An early hardcore anthem against racism (released in 1993). and a very good one at that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9WnOZzA9w8


5. Micropoint - Anti Nazi Vendetta (Part 1)

La Résistance fought bravely against the real world nazis in world war II, and modern France has a strong opposition against them too.
and in the teknival and free party adjacent french hardcore / noisecore scene, this stance is even more prominent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dndHLHTJNdE


6. Alec Empire - Hetzjagd auf Nazis

One of the classic anti nazi anthems, isn't it? An early breakcore outing, sporting breakneck beats and hoover madness - an onslaught on the senses, and on the conscience too, i hope!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5dJuIAUzoQ


7. Bazooka - Waz Gibtz Noyze ? (FukDaNazisMix)

another example of the anti nazi current within the then emerging hardcore / speedcore scene.
a strong statement, wrapped within a high quality (and quite noisy) track on shockwave recordings.

this track samples Paul Celan's "Todesfuge", one of the most important german-language poems about the very real horrors of fascism.