SUMKA

SUMKA is an Iranian neo-Nazi party (otherwise known as Hezb-e Sosialist-e Melli-ye Kargaran-e Iran, Iran National-Socialist Workers Party).

Foundation

The party was formed in 1952 by Davud Monshizadeh, a professor at Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, who served with the SS and been injured fighting in Berlin. Before this the name had been used informally to refer to those in Iran who supported Adolf Hitler during the Second World War. As an organised group, they looked to the works of José Ortega y Gasset for inspiration, as well as Hitler, and Monshizadeh translated a number of his works into Persian which he hoped would serve as founding principles for the party. Despite building up a minor support base in Iranian universities, the party did not last long. [ [http://iranpoliticsclub.net/club/viewtopic.php?p=717&sid=ac6216e8b97396462a5ec0cd3ffdbba4 'Iranian National Socialist Movement (A History)'] ] It has been claimed that the party enjoyed funding directly from Mohammad Reza Pahlavi for a time. [Hussein Fardust, "The Rise and Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty: Memoirs of Former General Hussein", P. 62] Funding was also provided indirectly by the United States through their operation in the area codenamed BEDMAN. [ [http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/9139/index.php 'Oil and Revolution'] ]

Development

The party briefly attracted the support of young nationalists in Iran, with Daryoush Homayoun, who would later rise to prominence, an early member. [Fardust, op cit] Monshizadeh was known as something of a Hitler worshipper and aped many of the ways of the Nazi Party, such as their militarism and salute, as well as attempting to approximate Hitler's physical appearance. [Fardust, op cit] . Alongside this, however, the part was also known for their loyalty to the monarchy and were branded "Shah worshippers". [Fardust, op cit]

They were firmly opposed to the rule of Mohammed Mossadegh during their brief period of influence and the group worked alongside Fazlollah Zahedi in his opposition to Mossadegh. Indeed in 1953 they were part of a large crowd of Zahedi supporters who marched to the palace of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi demanding the ousting of Mossadegh. [Mark J. Gasiorowski, 'The 1953 Coup D'etat in Iran', "International Journal of Middle East Studies", Vol. 19, No. 3. (Aug., 1987), p. 270] The party would become associated with street violence against the supporters of Mossadegh and the Tudeh Party. [ [http://www.azworld.org/tabrizi/chapter7_part5.htm 'Is the blood of grapes, not of you (the people)'] ]

The party eventually passed out of existence, although much of their membership was absorbed by the 'Arya' movement of Brigadier General Hasan Arfa, a largely military based group that had some pro-Nazi tendencies. [Fardust, op cit]

Current party

A group calling itself SUMKA and claiming to be direct heirs of the original still exist [ [http://sumka.blogfa.com/ Website of current SUMKA] ] although it remains to be seen how far this revival extended beyond the internet. They now present their two main enemies as being Jews and Arabs, in keeping with the antisemitism and Aryan identity politics of the original party. [ [http://sumka.blogfa.com/ Website of current SUMKA] ] This group is not connected to the equally minor Iranian National Socialist Party [ [http://www.geocities.com/irnationalsocialism/ INSP website] ] or the Aryan League.

References

External links

* [http://sumka.blogfa.com/ Sumka site (mostly in Persian)]
* [http://www.flaggenshop.com/fotw/flags/ir%7Dnswp.html Sumka flag]