German police have confiscated thousands of neo-Nazi records and tapes in more than 10 major localities as part of a nationwide crackdown on right-wing music.
Police raided the homes and offices of musicians and producers in the right-wing rock music industry, which has popularized songs calling for the expulsion of foreigners from Germany and praised the country’s Nazi past.
The music is seen by some as contributing to a wave of anti-foreigner violence, racism, and anti-Semitism in Germany.
Federal authorities said they would continue the searches in stores suspected of selling tapes blamed for inciting youths against foreigners.
Police crackdowns will occur whenever needed on the basis of information provided by the internal security service, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry said.
The Anti-Defamation League in New York has been pressing Chancellor Helmut Kohl’s government for some time to take action against neo-Nazi rock groups.
In another development, the Interior Ministry confirmed Thursday that according to recent reports, three neo-Nazi organizations banned a few weeks ago were trying to resume their activities.
The organizations are the German Alternative, the National Front, and the National Offensive.
The reports said that while several leaders of the groups were in jail or fighting the ban in court, other members of the organizations continue to hold meetings and in some case engage in paramilitary training.
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