Hetskampanje mot meg

Dear friends, contacts and people who don’t really know me:

Recently, I have been the victim of a smear campaign from Norwegian extremists. This has taken the form of articles posted on web forums that I frequent. So far, I’ve seen five (!) different versions of them, and they have been removed from four different forums (the administrators have also had to remove several re-postings under a steady stream of new pseudonyms). Recently, these people have even gone to the effort of translating these into English. Chances are you’ll come across them soon – on your forum, guestbook or so on. Look for articles with lots of links to stuff I’ve written and liberal use of words such as “vomit” and “Zionist”.

I’m amazed that someone takes the time to do this, as the only people that will care about these accusations are Nazis anyway, but it is getting to be a problem for me and my girlfriend. Therefore, I have taken the time to write this clarification.

These smear articles were written by a well-known Norwegian extremist. I know his name, but as these people love threatening people with lawsuits I’ll let it rest here. But I know who he is because I have seen the Norwegian versions of the articles, and his style is impossible to imitate. There is also quite a bit of other evidence that point to him, but I don’t want to bore you with the details.

So what do these articles say? Primarily, they attempt to smear me by “exposing” – drum roll - that I am not a Nazi! I’m sure this comes as a shock to you. Not even that, they even reveal that I think hating people just because they’re Jewish is silly and tasteless! Well, as I am quite open about this (both in person and in writing) it can’t be shocking news to anyone who has ever met me or read my writings. Anyway, I do not consider it a crime to not be a Nazi. Few people do. Except people like the “mysterious” author, of course.

His research isn’t all that good. For example, I am not a writer for Monitor. But if I was, you can be sure I would do it under my full name.

Strangely, as some of his “exposés” also link to an article where I savagely criticize the extreme left, he gives a surprisingly fair portrayal of my politics. Except when he claims that I call myself a Libertarian, a political position I haven’t had much sympathy for since about 1990. I’m simply not such a big fan of unchecked Capitalism, and see it as a very destructive force. However, Libertarianism made a teenaged Didrik realize that right-wing thought isn’t inherently evil, something that ensures that I will always have a weak spot for it.

The articles make me sound very mysterious, someone who infiltrates darkwave circles as a secret agent for ZOG. I wish! But alas, my life is not that exciting, even if I do have a trench coat. So far, I’ve only managed to infiltrate my own club and some music magazines, but I am currently infiltrating a new Norwegian dark folk band that I am very enthusiastic about. But if anyone can put me in touch with the Elders of Zion, please do! Even if they probably wouldn’t want me. For as these articles document, I am a lousy double agent, always using my own full name whenever I write on the Internet.

So who is this man who spends all this time writes these character assassinations and makes banning him from web forums a full-time job?

He has well-documented ties to Nazis, and has become very interested in darkwave, especially neofolk. Sadly, he has bought into the Antifa’s fantasies about neofolk being some sort of Nazi conspiracy. This has led him to arguing in writing that people like Death in June, Zinnober, Der Blutharsch and Allerseelen share his politics. Which I think is a gross exaggeration.

This month he played a part in trying to organize the Sunna Festival, a neofolk festival in Gothenburg. The festival went down the drain, after three of five bands (including Of the Wand and the Moon) scheduled to play decided to withdraw from it. The fact that the festival website turned out to be registered by a member of the Swedish Heathen Front, a group founded on a political program so extreme it makes Himmler look like a liberal, might have something to do with it.

Still, being banned from several web forums and having his festival cancelled due to bands pulling out does not seem to have shaken his belief that the darkwave scene is open to his ideas. He is still trying to use the scene for his own purposes. This means that he has already created a lot of other problems for people other than me. Anyone interested can contact me for details.

If a strange and somewhat vague Norwegian approaches you for interviews or to book your band for gigs, know that he is heavily involved in extremist politics, that the police and media are very interested in his activities (which will again lead to interest in you), and that he already has a track record for having festivals fall flat on their face. If he tries to associate himself with you in other ways (coming to events etc.), know that he probably will use you to legitimize his own political activities. If you do not wish to see your event written up as some Nuremberg rally, I suggest you be careful.

Well, enough about him. You get the picture. Let’s talk about me instead.

I sadly inform you that I am not a saboteur, provocateur, infiltrator, double agent, “Nazi-hunter”, undercover agent or any of the other exciting things that the anonymous articles claim that I am. Sorry, guys! As those of you who have met me or emailed with me or read anything I’ve written know, I am too much of an opinionated bastard to be able to keep quiet about what I believe and don’t believe. I don’t believe in Communism or Fascism, Astrology or the World Zionist Conspiracy.

However, those of you that have known me for some time know that I do believe in friendship. After all, this is why I am taking the time to write this. For as he is trying to establish credibility with people like you, you might want to know what to expect from him.

Best wishes

Didrik Søderlind