I don’t suffer from racism, I don’t promote anything, I just learned a lot about them!

CHAPTER 1. Definition of skinheads.

Skinheads are groups of urban youth, living according to their own laws, with their own music, their own distinctive signs, their own fashion in clothing and the concept of “male friendship”. Skinheads are mostly men, but there are also women in their ranks. Political ideas play a secondary role when joining a “tribe.” Some, both fascist and anti-fascist groups, managed to create real gangs of “political soldiers” - dangerous weapon V political struggle. Some parties use such gangs as mercenaries to secure their rallies, put up posters and for other minor tasks. Skins willingly agree to such work - there would be "beer, sex and fights."

CHAPTER 2. Origin of skinheads.

In 1969, young English workers from the suburbs of London and Liverpool began to speak out against hippieism and the fashion for the “Peace and Love” ideology. They contrasted long hair with shaved heads, and pacifism with clashes with gangs of young rockers. At first, the Skins were anti-racist: they were closely tied to their proletarian roots.

Against the backdrop of the economic crisis, skins have become bitter. Their music became wilder - the so-called "oi" style appeared. Skins began to fill football stadiums, staging huge fights. For the sake of shockingness, some of them began to declare their Nazi and fascist views. It was not difficult for the fascists from the “European National Front” to politically “direct” this violence into provocation. In the early 80s, "skinhead" fashion spread throughout Europe. The rise of fascist parties in Europe and, in particular, in France led to the fact that skins began to appear at National Front demonstrations. This happened for the first time in 1984. In Germany and Scandinavia, skinheads formed small, extremely extremist neo-Nazi groups. Around the band "Screwdriver" playing "oi" music in England, a network of fascist groups "Blood and Honor" is being formed. They politicize the music of oi, giving it a Nazi character, and create the so-called “Rock Against Communism” (RAC - Rock Against Communism). This anti-communism was just an excuse to show cruelty towards anyone who disagreed with them. The "Blood and Honor" network spread throughout Europe, and in 1992 reached Poland and Slovakia.

In contrast, the music group Oi from England, associated with the far-left Trotskyist party, called for anti-fascist resistance to the Nazis, who “betrayed the multiracial skinhead culture from the very beginning.” This is how the “Redskins” or “Red Skinheads” movement was born. In the mid-80s they appeared in many European countries.

CHAPTER 3. Classification of anti-fascist skinheads.

"Red Skinheads"
Usually "red skinheads" are called "Red Skins". The movement especially spread in Italy (where memories of the “Red Brigades” were still alive). The "Red Skinheads" collaborated with punks and left-wing radicals, calling themselves "communists."
Like Nazi skins, Redskins call for violence as a mode of action, but reject, in their own words, the “philosophy of violence.” They proclaim their anti-racist and anti-capitalist views. The appearance of the “red skinheads” is the same as that of skinheads all over the world. However, the "Red Skins" are distinguished from the neo-Nazi skins by their symbols and red laces on their shoes.

"Skinhead Anti-Fascists" (SHARP).
Movement "S.H.A.R.P." (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudices) - “Skinheads Against Racial Prejudices” arose in America in the late 80s. In 1988, in American skin groups, mostly apolitical, there was a sharp ideological stratification into neo-Nazi skinheads and everyone else, and as a result, a sharp split occurred.
Some skins joined the Ku Klux Klan and various Nazi groups. Some skins, on the contrary, decided to counteract the growth of fascism, racism and neo-Nazism on the American continent. In 1989, they created the first SHARP organization in New York. In the 90s, in addition to America, this movement gained popularity in Europe.
Participants in the "Red Skins" and "SHARP" movements call Nazi skinheads not "skinheads" - "leather heads", but "boneheads" - "billiard ball head". However, the latter are not offended by this; on the contrary, most of the “right-wing skins” themselves prefer to draw a clear line between just skinheads and neo-Nazi skinheads, calling themselves “boneheads”.

"Red Anarchist Skinheads" (RASH).
In the mid-90s, another skin organization of anti-fascist skinheads was formed in Canada - “Red and Anarchist Skinheads” (RASH). Canadian anarchist Skins did not want their political ideas to be associated with the Red Skins. However, they always sided with the Red Skins if they needed help in a fight at a concert or in a bar. Ultimately, most of the differences between the Anarchist Skins and the Red Skins have become subtle at this point.

"Gay Skins" (GSM - Gay Skinhead Movement). They oppose homophobia and promote homosexuality. The movement developed mainly in Western Europe.

"Apolitical skinheads."
Along with the skinheads, who build their ideology in accordance with various trends in politics, there are also separate groups of skins who are completely apolitical. This type of skins is closest to the first ones - the English skinheads of the early 60s. At that time, most of the skins still held anti-racist views and were closely tied to their proletarian roots and marginal environment. For example, some of the skins maintained friendly relations with the Jamaican punks from poor neighborhoods, the Rude Boys. However, non-racist ideology does not reduce the aggressiveness of this type of skins. On the contrary, non-racist skins work with their fists quite often. The main objects of their influence are any non-standard-looking individuals, homosexuals, and beggars. The proletarian sentiments of the skins find outlet in beating up rich dudes who accidentally, through carelessness or out of curiosity, wander into poor working-class neighborhoods. Today there are very few completely apolitical skins.

CHAPTER 4. Hierarchy of Russian skinheads.

"Teenagers"
The first, largest group is “youngsters”, these are teenagers 12-14 years old who still don’t really know what it is to be a real skinhead, but have already picked up Nazi or racist slogans and have understood some of the basic norms of behavior inherent in skinheads. Most often this happens through direct imitation of older and more experienced comrades. This category actively uses external symbols and attributes of the skin movement - the Celtic cross, Nazi symbols. Although it should be noted that at the moment there is no single, established model of uniform.

"Youngsters"
The second category is “young people,” older teenagers, 14–16 years old, who actively participate in all kinds of neo-Nazi rallies and gatherings, gathering in large regular groups. This category of skinheads has a more clearly defined political orientation and the ability to more or less coherently state the main principles of the skin movement.

"Starshaki"
The third category - “elders”, in addition to participating in rallies, gatherings and gatherings, have a solid, fairly well-established political orientation, they are able to not only coherently present the main points of the political program of their movement, but also conduct propaganda work.
This category of skinheads often has strong, extensive connections with various right- and left-wing radical extremist organizations.

"Old Skinheads"
Among the huge crowd of skins of various types, levels and degrees of organization, there is a small (in relation to the entire skin movement as a whole) close-knit group called “old skinheads”.
This relatively small part of the skin movement consists of the most ideological, persistent and active skinheads. The average age of a skinhead of this species is over 20 years. “Old skinheads” know the customs, traditions and principles of skinheads most well, being their main guardians and interpreters for the bulk of skinheads. Each of them has a certain length of experience in the skin movement, from three to five to ten years, during which he must live and act, observing all the principles and commandments of the skin movement. Interruption of work experience is not allowed, a temporary transition to another informal movement with a subsequent return is also not allowed, it must be a “lifetime” skin.
“Old skinheads” are the main core of the skin movement, they form it, they unite it. With their beliefs they try to influence those around them, and primarily young people and teenagers, from whom they eventually form skin groups where they become the main ones. One of the main tasks they carry out is the stimulation and radicalization of both individual skin groups and the entire skin movement as a whole. Classic "old skinheads" are, basically, either "politicians" - "bonebreakers" who take an "active life position" and back up their "word" with "action", or "militants" with a political overtone, although there are some variations. Some particularly aggressive musicians who write and perform songs in the style of “white rock” can also have the status of “old skinhead”. At the moment, the number of “old skinheads” has increased significantly, which is directly related to the popularization of the skin movement. Their ideological education also increased. Adherents of this type of skins actively participated in the third congress of Russian nationalists, held in St. Petersburg. It is among the “old skinheads” that efforts are being made to legalize and create their own party.

"Mods"
Separately and apart from the general mass of skinheads is the category of “fashionable” skinheads - the lowest and most despised category. This type of skins is almost completely apolitical and inert - in fact, this is the main fault of the “mods”. They wear skin paraphernalia, listen to skinhead music, sometimes attend skin concerts, but for the most part they are quiet and non-aggressive. As a rule, they are not even able to repel insults and ridicule from the “correct” skinheads, much less they cannot commit any serious act, “glorious” and “heroic” from the point of view of the bulk of skinheads. Veterans of the skin movement speak of such “fake skinheads” with obvious contempt. The bulk of skinheads are punks who pay tribute to fashion, as the movement becomes more and more popular. They are disorganized, do not know how to think, and generally judge movement only by external attributes: bomber jacket, bald head, suspenders, beer, “Doctor Martin” (a type of shoe).
The category of “mods” constitutes the most significant part of the skin movement, especially during the period of its greatest subcultural popularity.

CHAPTER 5. Gender, age and social composition of Russian skinheads.

Data on the social origins of skins is insufficient. But those that exist show that not all skinheads belong to the bottom. For the most part, these are children of the “Soviet middle class,” whose material level has declined over the past fifteen years.
Skinheads are not the children of chronic alcoholics and criminals. Those, especially older prisoners, have their own concept of nationality - they are all just “thieves”.
Skinheads are the children of former highly paid workers, engineers, whom the reforms of the 90s turned into shuttle workers and stall traders. These are the children of people who have experienced psychological drama and moral humiliation, and who experience frequent depression. Many families have broken up. In cities such as N. Novgorod, Krasnodar, Voronezh, Volgograd, the majority of fascists are children petty bourgeoisie. They think in categories family business, and the national idea is expressed in the fact that foreigners are potential competitors.
Polish sociologists from the VIP group surveyed high school students from elite schools in Moscow. 60% - children of wealthy parents - showed open hostility to everything Russian and planned to live in the West. The poorer children - 20%, on the contrary, were going to live in Russia, showed hostility towards foreigners and openly promoted everything Russian. Almost everyone was against mixed marriages(however, having sex with a non-Russian girl is not a sin) and said the phrase “I hate two things most of all: racism and blacks.” This is tantamount to saying, “I hate Russia and love Russians.”
All Asians (Caucasians, Chinese) are considered as economic competitors (they have captured markets and are setting up business here). The objects of hatred are also communists, anarchists, and informals. Those surveyed were not against “non-Russians” living in their own countries. They were against them in the Russian market. However, the use of immigrants as labor was welcomed: “Well, it’s not like Russians should struggle!” Although neo-Nazis are often confused in their “testimonies”: either “non-Russians captured markets and took away jobs”, sometimes “they don’t work and are robbing”...
Composition of skinhead families (combination of options is possible):

35% live in single-parent families

58% - parents are engaged in trade and restaurant business

22% - have their own business

8% are stay-at-home mothers

21% - fathers work in security

6% - fathers-officers

12.8% - one of the parents in the civil service

4% - one of the parents is a worker

3.2% - parents - engineers, teachers, doctors

Among the adult population, the openly nationalistic idea of ​​​​introducing different legal status for people of indigenous nationality and “foreigners” is supported by 18% of respondents. However, in fact, nationalist attitudes are much more widespread: respondents are twice as likely to be in favor of granting access to government bodies to citizens taking into account their nationality, which in practice requires the introduction of some restrictions (quotas, qualifications) on participation in elections, as well as on occupation. other positions in the executive power structures for “foreigners”.

Good skinheads vs. bad ones

When the skinhead movement began in Great Britain in the late 60s, there was no trace of racism there. Young people from working-class neighborhoods gathered in flocks, listened to music (mostly reggae) and rode motor scooters. Those few of them who could boast of “political consciousness” declared themselves to be working class and advocated a ban on the use of cheap labor from third world countries. As a matter of fact, the fights through which skinheads gained fame as socially dangerous were mainly with immigrants from Pakistan (exactly the cheapest work force) and with the “golden youth”. Among the skinheads there were many Africans and Jamaicans, so there was no need to talk about any racism. In the late 70s the situation began to change. The leaders of the far-right British National Party (BNP) realized that they had the opportunity to seize a huge resource of unreasoning power, and it would not be difficult to do so. Nationalist ideology appealed to many, given the high unemployment rates associated with mass immigration from former colonies. The skinhead movement began to acquire a pronounced racist connotation.

This continued until the second half of the 80s, when the “first wave” skinheads decided that the Nazis were disgracing their good name. In Britain and the USA, a real war broke out between Nazi skinheads and traditional skinheads. In 1987, the SHARP movement was founded in New York. The original idea was: “to make society understand that not all skinheads are the same, that they have different ideals and beliefs, personal and political.” The Sharps gradually gained fame, and more and more people joined their ranks. more people. They soon drove out almost all the Nazi skinheads from New York.

More radical skinheads appeared among the Sharps. They considered that PR campaigns against the Nazis were not enough, and began to form groups of “fighters” ready to fight them physically. The principle “we will respond to violence with violence” turned out to be no less effective than the media campaign, which, however, they also did not stop. Since then, where Nazi skinheads appeared, sharps soon appeared. The struggle between them has been going on with varying success for more than 10 years, although last years There were relatively fewer Nazis.

The Sharps have long been a small group of anti-fascists. They can be seen at rallies, demonstrations, and stadiums. For example, the backbone of Bayern Munich fans is made up of sharps. Anyone who watches a match with the participation of this German club can be convinced of this: a huge banner S.H.A.R.P. decorates every stadium where your favorite team plays.

In Russia, everything is different for now. The first skinheads appeared in our country in the early 90s, and they were by no means anti-fascists. Nazis predominate among domestic skinheads even now, but recently Sharps have also appeared. Compared to the “boneheads,” there are very few of them, but they have a higher intellectual level and fight Nazism not only with physical methods. For example, fascist sites on the Internet are hacked, as the Moscow group Sharp - Fightzone-Fire recently did, leaving in the enemy chat a drawing of a man breaking a swastika. A few days ago I saw on one of the Internet forums how a Nazi skinhead complained that they, unlike sharps, do not know how to hack websites, so “sharps are behaving dishonestly.”

Nazi skinheads hate Sharps almost more than Jews, gypsies and blacks combined. They claim that SHARP is another Zionist plot to discredit their movement.

There is information about sharps in Minsk, Krasnodar, Novorossiysk, Kostroma, Tyumen... In Russia this movement is young, it is only a year and a half old, so we are only in the process of formation. And all over the world the SHARP movement is much better developed.

Originally, Oi! - a name given in the seventies to groups that did not want to consider themselves part of the vulgar theater developed by the world record companies after the advent of punk rock in 1977, and refused to be part of shit rock. Subsequently - the “voice of a generation”, the music of urban workers, including the second wave of skinheads. Now - traditional skinhead music, widespread everywhere on Earth.

The first songs corresponding to this name were played by the Ramones - it was they who composed a cheerful chant song with the words "Ai! Ho! Let's Go!" about baseball hooligans, they also created loud and cheerful punk rock with noticeable guitar passages, which later became known as "punk 77". The first bands that performed Oi! - Sham 69 and Cockney Rejects - played something very similar to them, "loud and fun" in those days. but as soon as the word "punk" began to be used by everyone (mainly to increase the number of record sales), the children of the street had to look for a new name for the music they were listening to. And they found it.

In the early eighties, the sound of Oi! began to change. The melodies became slower and the words made more sense. Last Resort, 4-Skins, Ejected and Crux sang not only about the joys of life, but also about its sorrows, such as unemployment and police brutality, fights in the streets and the inability to prove oneself in this world. They sang about themselves, recording their lives in songs. This music was called the “voice of a generation”, and they had something to say. Soon similar performers appeared all over the world, and they were not imitating the British - those who listened to Oi! in other countries, they understood that they themselves could play such music, or they always played it, they just didn’t know about it.

Symbolism (history)

Posse Comitatus (translated means an order to convene men capable of carrying weapons to repel the enemy, maintain public order, or capture fugitive criminals - SL.) - an anti-government movement that was most active in the 1970s and 80s. Many of its leaders were supporters of the Christian Identity ideology. The ideology of this movement became the basis for the formation of the views of later groups, such as, for example, the Montana Freemen (Free People of Montana). Posse Comitatus died as a movement in the late 80's, but their former leader James Wickstrom attempted to re-establish it in the 90's solely as a white supremacist movement group, losing most of the pseudo-legal Posse Comitatus theories.

Anarchy Sign. Although the symbol is most often used by anarchists, the letter A in the center of the circle is also used by those in the white supremacy movement who are violently opposed to the government because they believe that Jews control the government. The symbol can also mean that the person using it is a member of the Aryan movement and is defying the authorities.

Aryan Fist (Aryan fist). The Aryan fist is a symbol of white power used by violent groups who pursue racist policies of white pride activism. The clenched fist signifies the black power movement and the battle against racial discrimination.

Aryan Nations This is a neo-Nazi organization professing the ideals of Christian Identity, whose leader is Richard Butler. It is located in Hayden Lake, Idaho. The Aryan Nations movement is also known as the Church of Jesus Christ Christian. Christian Identity is a racist religion that preaches that whites (Aryans) are descended from the Lost Tribes of Israel and are therefore the chosen ones, and that Jews are the descendants of Satan and non-whites are soulless "dirty people."

BGF (Black Guerilla Family) - Family of black partisans. This group was formed at San Quentin Prison in California in 1966 by George L. Jackson, a former member of the Black Panther group. The group had a powerful political ideological platform that promoted the Black Revolution and the overthrow of the government. Typical BFG tattoos include images of crossed sabers, pistols and black dragons copied from prison towels

Boot Symbols. Until recently, skinheads could be identified by the colored laces in their Doc Martens boots with steel plates on the toes, which were used as "weapons" for kicking during fights. Although many skinheads now wear other types of shoes, this type of shoe, which became popular a few years ago, is still the most typical and traditional. The term "boot party" refers to gatherings in which skinheads typically commit acts of violence. The symbol shown is the most common image of a boot, most typical of a skinhead.

The Celtic Cross is one of the most popular symbols of neo-Nazis and the white supremacy movement. Originally propagated by the Ku Klux Klan, the symbol was later adopted by the National Front in England and other racists such as Don Black (and his website Stormfront), the racist group Skrewdriver, and signified international "white pride." (white pride). This symbol is also known as the Cross of Odin.

Chelsea. An image of the typical, traditional appearance of a skinhead woman or skinhead ally. The hair on the top of the head is shaved, and the strands framing the face remain long. Chelsea was originally an image of a skinhead's friend, but later began to relate directly to a female skinhead.

Confederate Flag. Although some Southerners view the flag simply as a symbol of Southern honor, it is often used by racists and symbolizes white supremacy over African-Americans. The flag remains a subject of controversy as some southern states The United States still displays it on public buildings or uses its elements in the design of the state flag. The flag is also used by racist groups as an alternative to the American flag, which they believe is the emblem of a government controlled by Jews.

Crucified Skinhead. This symbol is one of the oldest and most traditional. Both neo-Nazis and anti-racist skinheads use it to describe the condition of the working class. They also use it as a sign to intimidate each other. Members of the organization SkinHeads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP) distributed literature with this symbol to express the difficulties they have when they are confused with neo-Nazi skinheads. In some cases, when this mark is used for a tattoo, it can also mean that the person wearing it has either been to prison or committed murder.

Elbow Web (curved web). The image of a spider's web can usually be seen on the arms or armpits of racists who have served time in prison. In some places, a person usually "earns" this tattoo by killing a member of a minority group.

Hammerskin is the name of a special organization of neo-Nazi skinheads. Many Hammerskin groups in the United States and other countries are united by an ideology that places “white pride” and the music of white power at the forefront. The crossed hammers are the main component of the organization's symbol, which is used in each faction. Hammers are often depicted against a background that symbolizes the area in which a particular group operates, for example, against the background of a flag. The inscription HFFH is an abbreviation of the phrase "Hammerskin forever, forever Hammerskin", which means Hammerskin forever, forever Hammerskin.

Hammerskins. Two crossed hammers placed on a different background are the logo of this racist skinhead group. With many subgroups around the world, it claims to represent the working class white supremacist movement and often justifies the use of violence to achieve its goals. The Hammerskin organization and other skinhead groups are fans of white power music.

Ku Klux Klan (KKK). A cross placed in a circle with a "drop of blood" in the center is used in various variations mainly by the Ku Klux Klan. The drop of blood symbolizes the blood shed by Jesus Christ as a sacrifice in honor of the white Aryan nation. The Ku Klux Klan was formed in the southern United States after Civil War 1860-65 How secret society, which aimed to restore white supremacy through terrorism.

National Association For The Advancement Of White People (NAAWP). The organization that declared civil rights white people. Its first head was former KKK leader David Duke, and it is currently led by Ray Thomas in Tampa, Florida.

National Alliance (National Unity). This logo is a combination of the symbols "Life Rune" and "Yggdrasil" (from Norse mythology), and is surrounded on both sides by ivy wreaths. The "Life Rune" was a symbol written on the graves of SS soldiers to indicate the date of birth (while its opposite "Death Rune" indicated the date of death). Racists use the symbol "Life Rune" to refer to women who support the white supremacy movement, and in this case it means "Giver of Life". National Unity is a neo-Nazi organization based in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Its leader is William Pierce. It is the largest and most active active neo-Nazi organization in the United States.

Nazi Swastika Combined With The Iron Cross (Nazi swastika and iron cross). This symbol can often be found among members of neo-Nazi groups, most often in the form of jewelry (such as a pendant), as a way of demonstrating their belief in National Socialism. The Iron Cross first appeared during the Napoleonic era and became one of the most common and easily recognized military decorations in the world. After Adolf Hitler put a swastika on it and thereby devalued it in the eyes of people, the symbol was banned in post-war Germany.

Nazi Low Riders (NLR). These are street and prison gangs whose roots go back to the late 1970s, associated with the Aryan Brotherhood. In the 90s, the number of people joining these groups increased significantly. The state prison system recognizes that the NLR is a criminal group that influences the situation in correctional facilities. Members of the group are involved in drug distribution. White supremacy ideology is a large part of the sentiment within the NLR group.

National Socialist Movement (NSM) (National Socialist Movement). The iron eagle over a swastika is the most commonly seen symbol of the movement, led by Jeff Schoep in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The National Socialist Movement is a neo-Nazi organization with points of contact throughout America whose goal is racial separation and minimal government interference in the lives of citizens.

Odin Rune (letter of Odin - scand., myth.). This symbol signifies belief in paganism or Odinism (Odin is the supreme god in Scandinavian mythology). While not originally a racist religion, Odinism is popular among white supremacists because they view the Old Norse ancestors as representatives of Aryan culture. The symbol was common to Celtic and Germanic cultures, and for this reason was later borrowed by the Nazis. There are many image options of this symbol. Some of them are given below.

Odin Rune. Popular among neo-Nazis in Europe, this sign was originally a symbol of the Vikings. According to Old Norse myth, Odin was the supreme god, creator of the cosmos and humanity, god of wisdom, war, art, culture and the dead. White supremacists use this symbol to express their perceived Aryan ancestry.

Party Flag Of The Nazis (flag of the Nazi party). The German Nazi Party chose the swastika as its symbol. But before that, it was used as a symbol of good luck in various religious movements. Hitler's swastika became unique due to the fact that the direction of the symbol was changed so that the vectors of the cross were rotated clockwise. Today it is widely used in various variations by neo-Nazis, skinheads and other Nazi groups.

American Front (Front of America). America's Front, based in Arkansas and led by James Porrazzo, supports many of the ideas of pure communism, but the group is also anti-Semitic and promotes racial separatism. America's Front Calls for "Preserving national freedom and social justice for the white people of North America and defeat the forces of the “New World order” and “international capitalism.” The American Front is one of the organizations that aligns itself with the so-called "Third Position" group, whose views represent a synthesis of both left and right totalitarian ideas and include the use of methods of violence and revolutionary rhetoric.

World Church of the Creator is an Illinois-based organization led by Matthew Hale. Members of the organization call it a religion created for the purposes of "the survival, growth and supremacy of the exclusively white race."

Have you perhaps come across groups of young people with shaved heads, wearing the same black jeans and camouflage jackets without collars, wearing high combat boots, with the flag of the slaveholding Confederacy sewn on the sleeve? These are skinheads, or, in other words, skinheads. They call themselves the short word “skins”. Now almost no one writes about them, but among teenagers big cities they are already a legend.

The first skinheads appeared in England in 1968. Today's followers would be surprised to learn that their predecessors got along well with mulattoes and blacks. The fact is that skins appeared as a working, and not a racial, subculture, directed against both the official culture and in defiance of many alternative movements. For example, they considered rockers “fake” because they were a threat to the roads only on weekends, and on weekdays they worked hard in the office. The one skinheads didn’t like were the “Pakis” (Pakistanis). And not as foreigners, but as traders. And the blacks and Arabs who worked with the skinheads in the same factories were their own guys.

Skinheads of the “first wave” got along well with mulattoes and blacks

The first skinheads were not skinheads literally words, it’s just that their short haircuts with sideburns contrasted with the then fashionable long hair. The style of clothing was not “militaristic”, but proletarian: coarse wool jackets or short coats with a leather yoke, rough trousers with an “eternal arrow”, a long, knee-length zoot jacket and heavy, durable high boots for construction workers and dockers. The first skinheads had no followers, and by 1973, when the guys grew up and started families, the movement faded away.

Skinheads of the “first wave”, 60s of the XX century

Skinheads were revived in the late 70s, when Margaret Thatcher's government liquidated entire sectors of the economy, which led to an unprecedented increase in unemployment and unrest in the so-called depressed regions. The new skins were no longer a working aristocracy, but a declassed environment; they were brought up not on relaxed reggae, but on aggressive punk rock. These guys beat all the immigrants indiscriminately because they were “taking their jobs.” Neo-Nazi ideologists worked with the new skinheads. Skin clubs emerged, and the slogan “Keep Britain white!” was heard for the first time.

"Let's keep Britain white!" - slogan of the “second wave” skinheads

Then the “first wave” skinheads emerged from their apartments, furious that their movement had become associated with the fascists. Fights between “old” and “new” skinheads took on the character of street riots (especially in Glasgow). The result of these clashes was the emergence of two skin movements - on the one hand, the Nazi skins ("new"), on the other, the "red skins", "red skins" ("old"). Externally, the red skins differed only in stripes with portraits of Lenin, Mandela, Che Guevara and sometimes red laces in their shoes. They became widespread in England, France, Poland, and Spain. Nazi skins took root in Germany, Holland, Scandinavia, Canada, the USA, and later in France, Denmark, and Belgium.

Hoxton Tom McCourt, bass player for The 4-Skins, 1977

In Europe, Germany has become an outpost of the Nazi-skin movement

In America there were groups of white skinheads, black skinheads, Puerto Rican skinheads, Jewish skinheads, and Latin American skinheads. In Germany, the Nazi Skins became famous not only for beating guest workers (foreign workers, mainly Turks and Kurds), but also for killing them. At the same time, the judges, who were more afraid of the “Red Terror,” showed rare favor to the skinheads (in the 80s in Germany, skinheads were convicted only once for the murder of the Turk Ramazan Avsi in the summer of 1986).

Skinheads, meanwhile, turned into a political force: they smashed anti-fascists and dealt with trade unions. The authorities realized who they were dealing with when in 1987 in Lindau skins attacked Christian believers during a church holiday in St. Stephen's Cathedral (the city authorities refused to provide a municipal hall for a skinheads' convention). The Vatican intervened, and the police clamped down on the skinheads.

Skinheads appeared in Russia in the early 90s

But the Berlin Wall soon collapsed, and the ranks of skinheads swelled with Germans from East Germany, where unemployment and despair reigned among the youth. German neo-fascists began to be considered throughout the world as “experts” in working with youth, and Germany in the 90s became notorious for setting fire to immigrant dormitories.

After the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, skinheads appeared in Poland, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Bulgaria and Russia.

The skinhead movement began in Great Britain in the 60s. At that time, the “hippie” movement was in vogue, but some youth groups, most often from the working class, began to create their own communities that were against the idea of ​​​​peace and love that the hippies preached. Pacifism was replaced by fights, long hair by shaved heads.

At first, their gangs included quite a lot of blacks and people from Jamaica, so there was no talk of Nazism yet. The danger of skinheads was expressed by their initial intolerance and resulting aggressiveness. They encountered rockers at concerts, with “golden youth”, gaining fame as socially dangerous individuals.

Nationalist ideology began its origins during the economic crisis and total unemployment. Since skinheads most often came from the proletarian class, they were sharply dissatisfied with the fact that the state recruited people from third world countries to work. Aggression began to grow towards emigrants, whom the impoverished proletarians blamed for all their troubles.

Quite quickly, skinheads, or rather their leaders, became highly politicized. Many parties have realized for themselves that this is a force that is easy to control and direct the right channels. For example, participation in rallies, brawls and protests.

It should be noted that in the 80s the anti-fascist movement S.H.A.R.P. appeared, which presents itself as “traditional” skinheads and, rather, fights nationalists. Today this struggle continues, “sharps” are the number one enemy for skinheads in the world.

Skinhead culture

Real skinheads say they will never touch ordinary person. They also often say that Adolf Hitler is not their idol, and only some of his ideas form the basis of the skinhead ideology. For example, the attitude towards Jews completely coincides with the attitude towards them among the German fascists.

Also, skinheads will never attack a tourist. In their opinion, tourists do not pose any danger; they only get to know the world, which is only commendable. Their main “prey” are people from Palestine and Iran, while they live peacefully with Caucasians and Indians.

This approach is due to the fact that the skinhead philosophy presupposes “purity of the nation”; the ideology of the Aryan race is very close to them. Their second “enemy” is drugs and, of course, drug dealers. It is worth noting that skinhead gangs do not use any drugs and do not drink vodka; the only thing they are allowed to do is cigarettes.

Thus, it turns out that any person who sells drugs, no matter what nation and race he belongs to, is targeted by a skinhead. According to the skinheads themselves, attacks on ordinary people, tourists, and blacks were provoked by hooligans who are not averse to “waving” their fists just like that.

There is evidence that the leaders of skinhead gangs are planning to create a special anti-drug group in the future. But this is only in plans and in the distant future, because, according to them, the authorities themselves are preventing them from fighting drugs.

Types of skinheads

In fact, it is quite difficult to separate one type of skinhead from others. Because, firstly, they are all distinguished by shaved heads, Grinders or Martins boots, and, secondly, in every country and in every region there is absolutely different features from one group or another. In some countries, young people unite and shave the backs of their heads out of a desire to commit hooliganism, in others they preach Hitler’s policies, shout fascist slogans and walk around with swastikas.

But there are some of the most popular groups that attract attention with their considerable numbers. MirSovetov offers to get acquainted with the most interesting of them.

1. As we said, the S.H.A.R.P. group, which is reputed to be anti-fascist, is significantly widespread in Western Europe. They are waging war against the Nazis not only “in the old fashioned way,” that is, with the help of violence, today this war has reached a new level. There are known cases when “sharps” hack skinhead websites and simply ruin their lives.
2. The red skinheads “Red Skins”, which got their origins in Italy, are, in principle, not much different from the “Sharps” in their anti-nationalist and anti-fascist views. This is a rather aggressive group, and their main difference is the red laces on their shoes and certain symbols.
3. Gay skinheads. Perhaps the most curious phenomenon in the skinhead movement. It can be called curious, if only because skinheads, most often, come from the working class, are aggressive, and prone to violence. Gays are usually middle class, have left-wing views, are not aggressive, and are rather effeminate. Gay skinheads fight to eradicate homophobia and promote homosexuality. Of course, such a movement is developed in Western Europe and is unlikely to find a response in Eastern countries.

Skinhead hierarchy

Like any other movement, skinheads have their own hierarchy. For each country, a certain “class” of skins has its own name. But in fact, all of them have common features: age and the amount of time spent in a gang.

1. Of course, the first category includes young people aged 12-14, who, having picked up the “romance” of skins from TV and the surrounding world, shave their heads and set out to restore order to the world in their own way. Philosophy and ideology are alien to them; they try to look more aggressive and take examples from their older comrades.
2. The category of young people aged 14-16 already understands a little more about what is happening around them. They begin to understand what they are fighting for, who needs it, they already have their own specific (or imposed) political views. They participate in various neo-Nazi rallies.
3. Next comes a group of older people, up to about 20 years old, with their own established views, knowledge of skinhead politics and a specific gang formation. They engage in propaganda work, take part in rallies, and are closely associated with extremist organizations.
4. The final level of the skins hierarchy are young people over 20 years old, who have been in a group of skinheads for quite a long time, who know their traditions, philosophy, and ideology. They are the ones who train younger people, lead and organize their community.
5. This also includes people who are not skinheads except for their appearance. That is, young people who simply like the way the skins look and behave and what they listen to. But at the same time, they lack any kind of aggression; they actually never get into a fight. This group of "skins" are quite despised in those circles and are considered a lower caste.

She talked about the history of the style of the skinhead subculture in her homeland in Great Britain in the 1960s and 70s. This time we will talk about the fashion of Russian skinheads, who, unlike the British, mainly shared nationalist views from the late 1980s to the present day.

Guys in military uniform

Why do you wear Levi's? Your Levi's are Jewish jeans.

- Because when I returned from Iraq, my brother gave me these jeans. Does he understand what we are fighting for? No. But I definitely won't let the Zionist conglomerate decide what I wear.

Film "Absolute Power" 2016


Right-wing and far-right movements in Russia began to emerge in the mid-1980s, and clothing, of course, was one of the important elements with which nationalists formed their image. Nationalist movements of the 1980s like the Memory Society emerged from the Society for the Protection of Monuments. The movement rethought historical processes, its participants were engaged in reenactment and wore “White Guard” uniforms, mostly consisting of modified uniforms of the Soviet army.

Later, their own military uniform appeared, consisting of black tunics with shoulder straps, black trousers tucked into black cow boots, black tunics with a stand-up collar and shoulder straps. In winter, overcoats, caps and caps with oval cockades of the “royal” type were used. On the buttons there were not Soviet stars with a hammer and sickle, but royal double-headed eagles. The reconstruction of the Cossack uniform was also popular. Now people in Cossack uniforms have become a standard landscape in the urban environment, but in the late 1980s they looked extremely shocking.

The “monuments” were replaced by more militarized Barkashovites. The dress code of this formation consisted of a black military uniform, beret, military boots and armband. Many participants in the movement, especially in the regions, wore ordinary military uniforms, which they brought from the army or bought at the nearest military store.

In Russia, the fashion for retro military uniforms quickly became a thing of the past, but in the United States it still exists - these days, participants in the National Socialist Movement (NSM) hold their rallies in a uniform that clearly copies the uniform of the NSDAP of the last century. The Ku Klux Klan remains faithful to the same white robes as 150 years ago.

Military style in general is distinctive sign right-wing in the United States. And this is not so much a tribute to fashion as a lifestyle - the same way of life that skinheads spoke about in the 1960s and 70s in Great Britain. Many right-wing skinheads, especially in the States, served in the army. In Germany, neo-Nazi cells in the ranks of the Bundeswehr are being systematically uncovered.

As a result, the military uniform was and remains an important element of right-wing skinhead fashion throughout the world. The right in the United States tends to be closely associated with militarized radical structures such as citizen militias. The fashion for these people is formed in the military stores in their neighborhood.

Not surprisingly, in January 2017, a gun store posted an ad that showed supposed customers confronting a crowd of anti-fascists. The poster read: “Anti-fascists, today is not your day.” Many modern brands aimed at the far-right public have military-style items in their collections. Moreover, now we can see the rebirth of the favorite skinhead brand of the 1990s, Alpha Industries, which originally sewed clothing for the US Armed Forces.

Modern designers have revived the fashion for bomber jackets by including them in their new 2013 collections. Alexander McQueen, Dior, Victor&Rolf offer leather bomber jackets with contrasting cuffs and buttons. Stella McCartney has designed a bomber jacket made from lace, silk and cashmere. Pinko designers also did not abandon a lightweight version of the jacket, sewing it from mint-colored nylon and decorating it with lace inserts and embroidery on the back.

Bomber life-giving

School bell...

First lesson...

Bomber and knife.
Beat the devils, destroy them all!



Tsunar was the first to accept this knife
Bomber saved you - your best friend.
Blood is dripping from his bomber jacket
This was done by a bribed cop.
Metal corrosion, “Beat the devils”

In the early 1990s, people came to the right-wing mainly from the fan movement. At that time in Russia, these subcultures were for the most part inextricably linked. Most of the far-right fashionistas refused to take part in large movements like RNE (Russian National Unity) and were very skeptical about their baggy uniforms. The main attribute of a skinhead in the 1990s was a bomber jacket or M65 field jacket. Few could buy the original jacket for a reason: high price- bombers are much more expensive than leather jackets from Turkey, which were worn by gopniks and bros of all stripes.

Frame: the film “Russia 88”

Soon, demand gave rise to supply, and inexpensive Chinese black bombers with the famous orange lining appeared in markets in many cities across the country. Their prices were more than reasonable. These jackets were worn almost all year round: in winter, they wore a warm sweater knitted by their grandmother under them. The original M-65 jacket did not have a collar to make it easier for the pilot to place the parachute straps. Among skinheads there was a story that this was done specifically so that in a fight the enemy could not grab you by the collar.

The orange lining also had its own functionality. The pilot needed it in case of an emergency landing: he had to turn his jacket inside out so that he could be easier to find from the air. Fans turned their jackets inside out to make it easier to understand who was theirs and who was a stranger in the fight. According to one version, the inventors of this were Spartak hooligans from the “firm” Flint’s Crew.

In particularly severe frosts, many people wrapped a “rose” (scarf) of their favorite team around their necks.

Camouflage pants were in use, which were also purchased on the market due to the availability of fashionable colors there, in contrast to the dull, baggy green items from the military store. Especially advanced users wore jeans invariably blue, but again, due to their high cost, they were not widely used, especially in the regions. The finishing touch is combat boots. In the provinces, many marched in them until the 2000s.

You also cannot ignore the use of such an accessory as suspenders. The most popular were suspenders in the colors of the Russian or German tricolor. Then came the fashion for narrow suspenders, which were in short supply. Suspenders were not just a wardrobe element - lowered suspenders meant that “a fighter is ready for a fight,” so many wore suspenders exclusively in this form, emphasizing their brutality.

Shoe cult

The first store of the "Doctor and Alex" company - "Footwear of the XXI Century" began operating on October 1, 1998 in the Voikovskaya metro area. This truly epoch-making event finally gave the Moscow public access to the famous Dr. boots. Martens, Grinders and Shelly's. The most popular were Grinders boots with a high top and the same metal glass. I wore similar boots main character film " American history X" in famous stage murder of an African American who entered the folklore as in “bite the curb.”

This scene became a direct guide to action for many skinheads of that time. Grindar was literally flying off the shelves. True, unlike Chinese bombers, not everyone could afford them. The response to the popularity of “grinders” was the emergence of the Russian company Camelot. She positioned herself as a Polish brand and made shoes that resembled the samples English stamps, but at much more reasonable prices.

As a rule, boots were worn with black laces, but the most desperate ones wore white ones, which said that their owner had cleared the land of foreigners. The famous Panzer boots with swastikas and zig runes on the soles, released by the American brand Aryan wear, became a pipe dream for many skins. This dress code was classic in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The standard skinhead look of the time included high-top boots, camouflage pants or rolled-up jeans, suspenders, a T-shirt with a radical image and a bomber jacket.

When the far-right movement radicalized by the mid-2000s, and serious sentences began to be given for crimes motivated by national hatred, such a fashion came to naught. At the end of the decade, antifa skinheads dressed in a similar way, trying to revive the spirit of 1969 in this way. Young people who remain faithful to the traditions of this fashion can still be found today, but this can only be regarded as cosplay of those times.

The fashion for heavy boots has faded. The American right-wing brand Aryan wear has closed. Shelly's, with its famous Rangers model, specializes in women's shoes, and Grinders began producing cowboy boots. The only brand that remained true to its roots and managed to survive the competition was Dr. Martens. Moreover, in 2010, the brand got a second wind : classic shoes of the 1460 model began to appear in the wardrobes of people who were very far from skinhead fashion. Alice Erskine and other top stars were seen wearing Dr. Martens.

However, in Great Britain the traditional style of skinheads has been preserved. There are families where skinhead traditions are passed on from father to son. Of course, instead of Chinese fakes, European skinheads who adhere to traditions wear original Dr. Martens, Levi's jeans, Fred Perry polo or plaid shirts and original Ben Sherman jackets. This type of style no longer says anything specific about a person’s political views

Fashionable guys

Remember I'm cool now

 I have my own Lonsdale.

I bought it in "Children's World"

 Clock work times - Lonsdale

“Five minutes later, another mob passed by, clearly trying to merge with the first. And another one in ten. Mostly, they were young guys, about 20 years old, dressed in the fashion of their hardcore: gingham shirts, blue jeans, sneakers. Almost no one had our favorite weapon, titanium guns, but most of the fighters were carrying packages in their hands, and everyone had glass bottles in their hands. Well, strategists, screw your shaved heads! - these are lines from the book “Die, Old Lady” by Sergei Spiker Sakin, which he wrote in 2003.

Around this time period, hooligans and right-wing skinheads began to move away from the fashion of heavy boots and bomber jackets. There are several reasons for this.

Skinhead (from English skinhead - shaved head) - a special trend in fashion that arose thanks to the emergence of a subculture of the same name among working-class London youth in the 60s of the twentieth century and then spread throughout the world. Closely related to musical styles, such as ska, reggae and street punk (aka Oi!). Some of the representatives of this subculture grew up from the environment, others experienced significant influence from the West Indian ore-boys.

Initially, this movement was famous for its apolitical nature and was focused only on fashion, music and a certain lifestyle. However, over time, some of the skinheads became involved in politics and joined various extreme movements, both left and right, as a result of which neo-Nazi and anarchist movements separated from the traditional skinheads who remained true to their ideals.

Story

At the end of the 50s of the twentieth century, Great Britain was gripped by a real economic boom, which, despite all the existing restrictions, significantly increased the income level of young people from the working class. Some of the young people preferred to spend all their money on new clothes, for which they received the nickname - fashion. Their subculture was characterized by a special affinity for fashion, music and scooters. It was the mods, or rather their offshoot, the so-called hard mods, who were the first to wear work or army boots, straight or sta-prest, with buttons and suspenders. Unlike their more “refined” counterparts, these mods took particular pride in emphasizing their working-class affiliation, cutting their hair much shorter and not averse to fighting. Hard fashion finally developed into a separate movement around 1968 and around the same time they received a new nickname - skinheads.

Skinheads still retained some features of the previous mods, but they were greatly influenced by the style of the rud boys - immigrants from Jamaica who settled in England. Along with their behavior and some style features, skinheads borrowed from them a love for ska, rocksteady and early reggae. The latter was so popular in this environment that sellers even began to add the prefix “skinhead” to the word reggae in order to increase record sales.

The skinhead subculture was finally formed by 1969. By this time, skinheads had become so popular that the band Slade even used their appearance as an example for their stage image. Skinheads became even more popular thanks to Richard Allen's novels Skinhead and Skinhead Escapes, which featured plenty of sex scenes and fights.

However, by the beginning of the 70s, the former popularity of skinheads began to decline. Many of the representatives of this trend moved to other groups and began to call themselves in a new way: suedeheads, smoothies or bootboys. Previous trends that were once characteristic of mods, such as brogues, suits, slacks and sweaters, have returned to fashion.

At the end of the 70s, the skinhead subculture was resurrected again, thanks to the emerging punk movement. Around the same time, for the first time in the history of the existence of this subculture, some groups of skinheads became involved in politics, and began to adhere to extreme right-wing movements like National Front(National Front) and the British Movement.

Since 1979, the number of skinheads has increased significantly. One of the most favorite pastimes of these young people was fighting on football matches. However, despite this, among them there were still those who were guided by the previous style. One way or another, such behavior attracted widespread attention from the press. Skinheads, just like fashion once upon a time new threat to society.

Ultimately, the skinhead subculture went far beyond the borders of Britain and continental Europe, appearing in Australia and the USA, but with its own local specifics.

Style

Traditional skinheads take as a basis the style of the original subculture that arose in the 60s of the twentieth century.

The Oi! skinhead movement was heavily influenced by 70s punk culture, so their appearance is somewhat different. They usually have more, taller shoes and skinnier jeans. Tattoos have become popular among skinheads at least since the “revival” of the movement in the 70s. In the 1980s in the UK you might even find skinheads with tattoos on their foreheads or faces, although this practice is no longer as common. American skinheads preferred to adhere to the hardcore style, and this is one of their territorial features.

• Hair

Most skinheads cut their hair with a razor with a No. 2 (sometimes No. 3) attachment. Thus, the hairstyle was short and neat, but the head did not appear completely bald. However, over time, hair length became shorter and shorter, and by the 80s, some representatives shaved their hair “clean up”. Among skinheads, it is usually not customary to wear a mustache and beard, but sideburns are extremely popular, and they have always been carefully maintained.

As for girls, in the 60s most of them continued to adhere to the mod style, however, starting from the 80s, the Chelsea haircut became especially popular, when the hair on the top of the head was shaved very short, leaving the back, temples and bangs long. Some girls preferred a more punk version, leaving only their bangs and temples long.

• Clothes and accessories

First of all, skinheads have always been famous for their button-down shirts, short or long sleeves, and polo shirts. Favorite brands include Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Brutus, Warrior or Jaytex. Also popular are shirts or Everlast, shirts with button-down collars, V-neck sweaters or similar sleeveless vests, as well as cardigans and T-shirts. Some skinheads targeting Oi! or the hardcore scene wore plain white shirts. This style was especially common in North America. The most popular jackets were harringtons, bombers, denim jackets (usually blue, sometimes decorated with light spots using bleach), dunk jackets, crombie coats, parkas and much more. Traditional skinheads sometimes wore costumes made from a special fabric (a shiny material resembling shag, the color of which shimmered depending on the angle and light).

Many of the skinheads preferred Sta-Prest trousers or jeans, mostly brands , or . Typically, the trouser legs were rolled up to emphasize the beauty of high boots or open if the legs were wearing moccasins or brogues at the time. Sometimes the jeans were also decorated with bleach stains. This style was especially popular among Oi! skinheads.

The girls wore almost everything the same, and in addition mini-, fishnet stockings or short skirt suits with ¾-length sleeves.

Most skinheads wore suspenders that were no more than one inch wide. Wider suspenders may be associated with the far-right neo-fascist wing of White Power skinheads. Traditionally, suspenders are crossed at the back, however some Oi! oriented skinheads don't do this. Traditional skinheads wear black or white suspenders, sometimes decorated with vertical stripes. Often, due to the color of this accessory, skinheads determine the group to which its owner belongs.

The most common headdresses among skinheads were: pork-pie hat, felt hats, caps, woolen winter hats (without a tassel). A less common option were bowler hats. They were mainly preferred by seaheads and fans of the cult film A Clockwork Orange.

Traditional skinheads also often wore silk in the breast pocket of their crombie coat or in the pocket of a suit made of a favorite iridescent material. Often a given piece of fabric was chosen in a contrasting color. Sometimes it was wrapped around a small cardboard so that it looked like a neatly folded handkerchief from the outside. Among skinheads, it was customary to choose colors that corresponded to their favorite football club. Sometimes wool or silk scarves with the symbols of their favorite team were wrapped around the neck, wrist or belt loop.

Some iceheads carried canes, which is why they received another nickname: brolly boys (from the English brolly - umbrella).

• Shoes

Initially, skinheads wore simple military boots from army supplies. Later, Dr. brand work boots became popular in this environment. Martens, especially cherry colored ones. Them skinheads they polished them to a shine and always made sure that their favorite shoes looked neat. In addition, skinheads wore brogues, moccasins and low Dr. boots. Martens. During the 60s of the twentieth century, Dr. high boots became especially popular. Martens with steel toes hidden under the leather, which turned out to be quite appropriate in street fights.

In recent years, skinheads have switched to other brands of shoes, such as Solovair or Tredair, as Dr. Martens are no longer produced in England. Gradually, sports shoes of the brands or Gola became fashionable among skinheads, in which they were comfortable to attend football matches.

Girls usually wore the same shoes as boys, and in addition, the so-called monkey boots. The brand of choice for this model has long been Grafters, but today the same boots are made by Dr. Martens and Solovair.