In the past we have given several times attention to Dutch Blood & Honour department. Attention for a Blood again this time & Honour group. It is this time the Nazi clique 'Ulfhednar'. In order to press the possible confusion directly but the head, it is not a really new club, in spite of the new name. It is a continuation of the Westland Department of Blood & Honour.
You might wonder why these neo-Nazis have chosen such a bizarre complicated name. With the name of the group, as is often the extreme right, relying on Norse mythology. Ulfhednar were, according to these traditions in animal skins stabbed gangs of murderers and looters. They are mainly described as warriors who fought like crazed idiots. Not really something to posting up with you would you say.
But first a little history of the group. Who are we here actually? The group's history dates back for some time. Many of the current members were & shy; as said – already involved in Blood & Honour Netherlands about 2006 en 2007 (1). The period can, without much equivocation, the most successful period of Blood & Honors are called in the Netherlands. Blood & Honour succeeded at that time in a substantial number of people, mostly young people from the gabber world, to bind. For those supporters were in various places in the country meeting places available. Further meetings were held with some regularity, concerts and political activities organized. There were at that time several regional sections active, which that was the main from North Holland. That group consisted of young right-wing extremists, mainly from the North Holland coast and the region of Alkmaar. But apart from these young people, there were also some older figures active. Who were able to provide structure, finances and meeting, which the group had some stability and continuity. That was particularly, because previous and other efforts in the Netherlands Blood & Honour groups get off the ground usually never lasted long. Some excited characters, little life experiences, alcohol and low violence threshold resulted in many cases for the rapid disappearance of such initiatives.
This successful situation changed in February 2007. Blood & Honour Westland was at some time affiliated with the Nationalist People's Movement (NVB), another extreme right club, which many members also lived in North Holland. At a demonstration in Middelburg NVB and a meeting in Haarlem, both end 2006, a delegation of the Blood & Honour Westland group present. The meeting at Haarlem was interrupted by an AFA demonstration, after which the hall owner and the police ended the meeting. Much to the frustration of the Blood & Honour group. When the NVB few months later organized a new meeting in Port Fairy and AFA there again appeared for a demonstration, decided Westland members, helped by some NVB-ers, to the arrival of the police not to wait until this time. They attacked the AFA demonstration (2). The consequences are well known, AFA demonstration was beaten path, two AFA activists were injured and almost all extreme right brawlers were arrested. Or that last a whole was unexpected by the Blood & Honour group afterwards is difficult to determine. Fact is that the consequences of the arrest many of them were raw on the roof. Many had problems at work, or was even fired. But the media attention in newspapers, television and made on the Internet for quite a few problems in the private sphere. Those negative effects caused the hard core of the Westland held for considering. This came to an abrupt end to the successful period of Blood & Honour Westland.
But some younger activists of the Westland Group did nevertheless not count on. Which continued the group. Although in thinned form and without the support of the older actors. Initially, therefore, it seemed that the group no longer longevity would be granted only. The group was noticeably smaller, arose internal quarrels and divisions and there was hardly anything organized. In 2008 attempted Blood & Honour to keep Hitler Memorial in Aalten, that fell by the intervention of the local authorities in the water. End of the same year the Westland group fell apart, after a mutual brawl at another memorial. This seemed an end to the story. But some younger Uitgeest veterans kept the group still intact and knew eventually again to make some structure in the group. Now the group has chosen to continue under the new name 'Ulfhednar'. The reason for the name change is not known with certainty us. But what may play a role is the ongoing dissatisfaction of several Blood & Honour groups that they are part of a network, where all kinds of other branches and departments share from doing things that they absolutely do not look down. Under his own name go is obviously a simple solution to this problem.
But who are these figures than, forming the new hard core? Remarkably, the central quintet from Alkmaar and neighboring villages come and very good friends. Friendships that go part have long back and are the basis for the close cooperation within the group. To begin with, it is Marcel van Velzen (1984) from Zagreb. Van Velzen delved into 2005 in circles of Blood & Honour, but was probably long been engaged before. The first time he was sticking his head above the parapet at a training camp of Blood & Honour in the Ardennes. After the Blood & Honour members there were a number of students threatened the group was arrested, after police found a number of knives. Marcel van Velzen had at that time already a criminal with several violent crimes and added in uitgeest a violence to it. After Port Fairy, Van Velzen in almost all Dutch Blood & Honour activities present, and also visited several demonstrations of other organizations. He was convicted a few times after Port Fairy. Van Velzen has two brothers, which are also involved in Blood & Honour. One brother, Alan van Velzen is virtually present in all activities.
Another person, Jeroen van de Wateringen (1990), also comes from Heiloo. He became 2006 involved and some months later, at age 16, was arrested in Port Fairy. He was then quite active and is a regular visitor of extreme right-wing activities. A third person was Mark Koopmanschap (1985). Upon his arrest in Port Fairy revealed that he already from his fifteenth regularly come into contact with the police. A fourth key figure Rory King. He is also in uitgeest certainly not the first time involved in violence. In 2003 NCE already organized once a charity event for him, because he was stuck due to violence (3). For the rest, the King a criminal record where you say against. In the scuffle that preceded the split in the group in Westland 2008 The King played a role moreover. Evidently that now forgive and forget, because The King is back at work with.
The last key figure of the group, Jeroen van den Berg (1986). He is the only one of this list who has not been arrested in Port Fairy. However, he has been a remarkably loyal Blood & Honour-activist, that does not let an opportunity pass to take part in an extreme right action or meeting.
If this brief CVs until you pass urge you see that violence plays a recurring role. And that is not very surprising. Blood & Honour traditionally has a strong impact hooligan. In the Netherlands and abroad will be Blood & Honour not populated by people who have the knowledge of elaborate political or balanced opinions. It is in the vast majority of cases to blunt White Power supporters, with a penchant for booze, drugs, anabolics, brute force, martial arts and racist rock. And many of these ingredients seem present within the group Ulfhednar. So called 'Ulfhednar' seems still well chosen.
And apparently that feeling inside Blood & Honour circles shared. Because after the North Holland group this name is going to wear out even begin activists from other (voormalige) Blood & Honour groups using the name or to participate in activities of Ulfhednar.
Dit artikel is ook verschenen in Alert! nummer 3, jaargang 2011
Noten
(1) – See also Alert! nummer 3 – september 2006
(2) & Shy; The Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled in September 2011 Amazingly it in this attack to "self-defense" went and told the brawlers free.
(3) & Shy; However, it does not matter that much impression on King, a few months later he appears on the defaulters list of NCE.
