Unfortunately, neo-Nazism still exists in the present day, despite laws (in some countries) prohibiting the expression of Nazism. Neo-Nazism is an ideological movement seeking to recover the elements of the Nazi doctrines from World War II. Holocaust Denial is the most common feature of this political and social movement, but it not limited to. Neo-Nazism also contains elements of, militant nationalism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and of course the adoration of Adolf Hitler. Commonly, the members of this movement are known as “white nationalists” or “white power skinheads”. Neo-Nazism has organized representation in many countries and has become more prominent in the virtual world.
In light of the issue of promoting neo-Nazism through the use of illegal music in Germany, German police are utilizing new software called “Nazi Shazam”. The software enables identification of neo-Nazi songs in seconds. They are also attempting to develop a smart phone application which will provide assistance in monitoring music at live concerts and other venues (Beeler, Yahoo News). “Music is an introduction to right-wing extremism, we all know that, so for me this is very important,” Markus Ulbig told reporters in the state capital of Dresden (Beeler, Yahoo News).
Neo-Nazi music, commonly referred to as “rechtsrock“, is an important tool used for recruiting purposes, similar to the Nazi propaganda used in WWII. Neo-Nazi bands include Hate Society, Zyklon B, and the British group known as Skrewdriver (Oltermann, The Guardian). Last year, the German Federal Review Board blacklisted 79 neo-Nazi songs. Currently, the database from around the country contains 3,500 songs which are banned. The new software discovered a large increase in far-right internet radio stations as well as an approximate 50% increase in far-right postings on social networks in 2011 and 2012 (Beeler, Yahoo News). Police in Saxony are actively working with this new technology to prevent neo-Nazi propaganda.