Anti-fascist research group Kafka

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Anti-fascist research group Kafka, commonly abbreviated to Kafka, is a Dutch anti-fascist and far-left research group, founded by Hans van Drunen. [1] Its name was said to be an acronym for Kollektief Anti-Fascistisch/-Kapitalistisch Archief (English: Collective Anti-Fascist/-Capitalist Archive) before 1994, but the research group has since indicated that they had named themselves after the writer Franz Kafka.

Contents

It is unclear who is hiding behind Kafka. What is certain is that Kafka's website was in the name of Ronald Eissens. Kafka's website contains various articles by employees of the Anne Frank Foundation. Researcher Willem Wagenaar works at the Anne Frank House, which often appears in the media to explain new research on the extreme or radical right. Wagenaar was sentenced 6 months imprisonment for his role in the attack in Kedichem in 1986 on a politcal meeting in which a woman lost her leg.

History

Kafka finds its origins in the squatters' movement. It conducts research into groups and individuals in the Netherlands whom it considers to be far-right, and the developments related to them. The results are published on the website of the research group. [1] Kafka is funded by gifts and donations, rather than subsidies. [2] Jaap van Beek has been the group's spokesperson since at least 2010. [3]

In the run-up to the provincial elections of 2011, Kafka published a report which showed that various Party for Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid, PVV) candidate members and party supporters (who had signed its "Declaration of support for a list of candidates" document) had ties to the far-right. Among them were former Centre Democrats and members or candidate members of the Dutch People's Union. [4] [5]

AIVD scrutiny

In the 2008 annual threat report of the General Intelligence and Security Service (Dutch : Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst, AIVD), under the heading 'left-wing extremism', Kafka was mentioned as the information supplier of the left-wing activist group Anti-Fascistische Aktie (AFA). [6] In 2010, the AIVD wrote in its report Afkalvend front, blijvend beladen (English: Calving Front, Permanently Fraught) that Kafka and AFA strove to "keep everything that is considered right-wing out of the public space." Kafka and AFA would allegedly pursue this anti-democratic goal through undemocratic means, such as (inciting) violence and intimidation. [7]

See also

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References

  1. "Over Kafka" (in Dutch). Anti-fascist research group Kafka. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  2. "Steun Kafka" (in Dutch). Anti-fascist research group Kafka. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  3. Selevcek, Miroslav (24 October 2010). "Storm op komst" (in Dutch). Art.1. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  4. "Rechtsextremisten actief bij de PVV" (in Dutch). Anti-fascist research group Kafka. 16 February 2011. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  5. Heijmans, Toine (16 February 2011). "PVV krijgt steun extreem-rechts" (in Dutch). de Volkskrant. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  6. Horst, Guus ter (21 April 2009). "AIVD Jaarverslag 2008" (in Dutch). General Intelligence and Security Service. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  7. "AIVD-publicatie: Afkalvend front, blijvend beladen" (in Dutch). General Intelligence and Security Service. 2 November 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2022.

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