‘… we must all act now to intensify denazification in our schools, communities, workplaces, churches and temples, commercial districts and cultural zones.’
PRIVILEGED to be invited to the 2024 Balkan International Conference of NGOs on History and Peace (“Historical Dialogues between the Balkans and East Asia: Civil Society’s Tasks for Reconciliation and Cooperation”), I submitted the Philippine position for Plenary 1, Day 1, Monday, 01 July 2024, Aula Magna, Sofia University, Bulgaria. To wit:
Yugoslavia in Europe and the Philippines in Asia and the Pacific, among others, made a joint declaration in 1942 to employ “full resources, military or economic, against those members of the Tripartite Pact” since they were now all “engaged in a common struggle against savage and brutal forces seeking to subjugate the world” and convinced as well that complete victory over their enemies (the Fascist International) is “essential to defend life, liberty, independence and religious freedom, and to preserve human rights and justice in their own lands as well as in other lands.” [Declaration by the United Nations, 1942]
This joint struggle remains the foundation for Reconciliation (historical justice) and Cooperation for all entities (public sector, profit sector, NGOs) in the Balkans (Southeast Europe) and East Asia (Northeast Asia + Southeast Asia). Indeed, it has always been a continuing struggle.
As early as October 17, 1945 (or 45 days into the postwar era), the American Joint Chiefs of Staff in its Directive to General Eisenhower (Commander-in-Chief of United States Forces of Occupation) Regarding the Military Government of Germany specified: “6. Denazification. b. The laws purporting to establish the political structure of National Socialism and the basis of the Hitler regime and all laws, decrees and regulations which establish discrimination on grounds of race, nationality, creed or political opinions should be abrogated by the Control Council. You will render them inoperative in your zone…e. All archives, monuments and museums of Nazi inception, or which are devoted to the perpetuation of German militarism, will be taken under your control and their properties held pending decision as to their disposition by the Control Council.” [United States Department of State Bulletin]
Fast forward to the 21st century, the United Nations General Assembly by a Yes vote of 132 (out of a total voting membership of 193) expressed “deep concern about the glorification, in any form, of the Nazi movement, neo-Nazism and former members of the Waffen SS organization, including by erecting monuments and memorials and holding public demonstrations in the name of the glorification of the Nazi past, the Nazi movement and neo-Nazism, as well as by declaring or attempting to declare such members and those who fought against the anti-Hitler coalition and collaborated with the Nazi movement participants in national liberation movements” and emphasized the “recommendation of the Special Rapporteur that ‘any commemorative celebration of the Nazi regime, its allies and related organizations, whether official or unofficial, should be prohibited by States’, as well as stressed in this regard that it is important that States take measures, in accordance with international human rights law, to counteract any celebration of the Nazi SS organization and all its integral parts, including the Waffen SS.” [Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2014 on the report of the Third Committee (A/69/486) 69th session Agenda item 66 (a)] https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/820132
That was a decade ago. Yet the necessity of combating the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fueling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance must be reiterated now. Consider: The Fascists and neo-Fascists of Italy are more gung-ho than their political rivals and the public in general in promoting their symbols and shibboleths. [https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/06/24/the-ghost-of-a-fascist-military-unit-returns-to-haunt-italy_6675569_4.html#] “Fascism did not die in 1945 — it was militarily defeated but it continued to live in the mind of many Italians,” says Paolo Berizzi, a journalist for the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica who has lived under 24-hour police protection for the past five years, after receiving threats from extremist groups. [Mark Lowen, “Italy’s PM says fascism is ‘consigned to history’. Not everyone is so sure,” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cljj4j84r9go] “It looks like 1924,” said Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein, referring to the year fascist leader Benito Mussolini scored a resounding election victory prior to shutting down multi-party politics in Italy. “What happened is unacceptable. Neo-fascist groups must be disbanded, as the constitution spells out,” she added. [https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/fascist-rally-rome-sparks-italian-opposition-outrage-2024-01-08/]
1. Swastikas, Hitler worship and German marching music being blasted from a speaker…no this is not 1930s Germany, this is modern-day Tokyo, Japan. Kazunari Yamada is the leader of the NSJAP, the National Socialistic Japanese Arbeiter (Worker) Party and one of the few real Neo-Nazis in Japan. Utilizing the internet, he is connected to Nazis from all around the globe. On weekends, he unites with members of the Uyoku far-right groups to wage war on the streets of Tokyo against the establishment. 密ç€24時ï¼æ—¥æœ¬ã®ãƒã‚ªãƒŠãƒ – A Japanese Neo-Nazi, VICE Japan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_pP_sc09FY]
2. Nazi chic, even in the midst of the Covid19 pandemic, K-pop girl Sowon poses with a Nazi mannequin: Sowon’s Nazi Photos, Han Apologizes For Slurs, Elkie Officially Gone, K-Pop News For Feb. 7, 2021, HallyU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiY6Re2MEIE
That is a small sample of incidents and quite recent enough. The phenomenon is growing and shall trigger crises. Thus, we must all act now to intensify denazification in our schools, communities, workplaces, churches and temples, commercial districts and cultural zones.
