Front Deutscher Äpfel


The Front Deutscher Äpfel, also called Apfelfront is a satirical organisation, founded in Leipzig in 2004. It satirizes right extremist parties, especially the Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands. In the style of former and existing right extremist organisational structures it is subdivided into numerous sub-groups like the youth organisation Nationales Frischobst Deutschland, the women's organisation Bund weicher Birnen and many further local Gaue.

Platform

The Apple Front argues in favour of political requirements for purification of the German fruit crop. The organisation describes itself as "Nationale Initiative gegen die Überfremdung des deutschen Obstbestandes und gegen faul herumlungerndes Fallobst" - translated "National initiative against the overforeignization of German fruit crop and against lazy/rotten mooching fallen fruit".
The key demands of the organisation are:
  1. Termination of the overforeignisation of German fruit by engrafting of foreign species.
  2. Closing the borders against tropical fruits.
  3. Elimination of lazy/rotten windfall.
The Apfelfront tries to use overly Germanized terminology in press releases and statements, at public demonstrations and on their website just like original right and extreme right internet services, and mimics the public appearance of the NSDAP and modern right extremist organisations. Therefore "homepage" is called "Heimseite", "webpage" is named "Weltnetzseite"' and "bulletin board/forum" is turned into "Brett".
Particular terms, slogans and rhetorical devices used by the NPD and especially by Holger Apfel, their chairperson in the Landtag of Saxony, such as "Grenzen dicht!" are picked up by the Apple Front and get used overly explicitly but are changed in their political message to orcharding and fruit utilization in order to make the original political statements and their representatives appear ridiculous.

History and activities

The Front Deutscher Äpfel was founded shortly after the Saxon election of 19 September 2004. The group, and Alf Thum, its founder, considers itself not as leftist but as non-right. They consider themselves to be artists who are trying to break away from the demonstration-counterdemonstration ritual.
The Front's youth organisation is called Nationales Frischobst Deutschlands. The Bund weicher Birnen is affiliated with them in their national struggle.
Since its founding, the Apfelfront has attended all larger NPD and neo-nazi marches/parades, especially in Eastern Germany. They have also got involved with Berlin 05, a youth politics festival sponsored by the German federal government.
The Apfelfront has also been represented in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since August 2006.

Commentary

Disruptions occasionally arise after an appearance by the Apfelfront, especially as the flags and symbols are not always immediately recognised as a parody. Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk published an article about the NPD on 25 July 2006, in which it portrayed a photo of the Apfelfront, with a subtitle, "The NPD wants to distance itself from its image of violence". The mistake was soon noticed, and the picture was removed.