“The trains are full, the mood is great, this trip takes us to the east” – this is the refrain of the song “Reisegruppe Tolerant” from the east-german neo-nazi band “Heiliges Reich” (“Sacred Reich”). In summer 2014 these lines gained attention when the group played this song at the neo-nazi open-air events “Rock für Deutschland” in Gera und “In.Bewegung” in Sondershausen. Although the song praises the Holocaust, there have been no legal consequences, as far as we know.

The band was founded in January 2013, but their members are experienced. The singer Benjamin Schneider, known as “Porcus”, also performs vocals in the German NSBM band Permafrost, which was founded in 2003. Besides he plays the drums in the bands “Askeregn” (“ash rain”) and “Schwarzer Tod” (“black death”). He also performs vocals at “Blutrache” (“blood revenge”) and plays in the bands “Enkel des Reichs” (“Grandchildren of the Reich”) and “Wolfsgarde”. Furthermore, the 31-year-old runs the music label “SFH-Records”, which sells and produces mainly Black Metal, NSBM and nazi rock. In addition he owns the tattoo and piercing studio “Metal-Art Weißenfels” at Große Kalandstraße 47, 06667 Weißenfels.

The drummer of “Heiliges Reich” is also a busy bee: Ron Penz plays also in the Neo-nazi bands “Endless Struggle” and “Killuminati”, which – as well as “Heiliges Reich” – release their music at the Dresden-based nazi music label “OPOS Records” (“one people one struggle records”). Moreover, together with Rene Zimmermann, Ron Robert Penz is part of Reiko Schmiedel’s nazi band “Moiler” at its live performances. The 25-year-old Penz founded his first NS Black Metal band – “Assfist” – in 2007. He lives in Flöha and acts under the pseudonyms “Nebelkrieger”, “Machete” and “Garil Weisthor”.

The 27-year-old guitarist of “Heiliges Reich”, Philipp Sachse, plays also in the nazi bands “Überzeugungstäter” (“offenders by conviction”), “Neubeginn” and in the currently inactive Wurzen-based nazi band “Storm of Mind”. Sachse lives in Wermsdorf in the district Nordsachsen. There are two more members of “Heiliges Reich” which play the guitar and perform background vocals: Sven Lehmann from Limbach-Oberfrohna and Michél Sajovitz from Oederan near Chemnitz. Lehmann sympathizes with the NS Black Metal subculture, while Sajovitz is a dedicated National Socialist who has contacts to Leipzig, e.g. to the National Socialist activist Lisa Hanf.

“Permafrost” – NSBM since 2003

Since 2012, Ron Penz is also playing the drums in Benjamin Schneider’s NSBM band “Permafrost”. The guitarists of the band are Maik Rothe from Zeitz and Lars Rammelt from Weißenfels. The slogan of “Permafrost” is “68686”, a mixture of the occult code “666” and the “Hail Hitler” code “88”.

For many years, “Permafrost” have been playing numerous concerts, mainly in East Germany but also all over Europe. For example at the nazi-music event “Slavonic Thunder in Germany” on September 3, 2011 at the the inn “Zur Deutschen Eiche” in Rothenburg (Saxony). The line-up included the NSBM bands “Permafrost”, “Dark Fury”, “Mogon” and “Nordglanz”. The nazi band “Racial Purity” from Dresden was announced too.

Involvement in “Kraftschlag”

Three of the “Permafrost” musicians have another common side project: Benjamin Schneider, Ron Penz and Maik Rothe have been part of “Kraftschlag” for two years. The new line-up of the band consists of six people. It was initiated by the singer Jens-Uwe Arpe and received only average reviews at their live shows.

“Heiliges Reich” – part of a network

Considering the busy members of the band, it is not a big surprise that “Heiliges Reich” hat their first live show at a relatively big concert. On May 11, 2013 they played their first show in the “Alter Gasthof Staupitz” in the middle of Staupitz, a small village belonging to the town Torgau. This inn has been hosting nazi concerts almost every month since 2008. For some years, these concerts have been registered with the relevant authorities. The owner of the inn, Andreas Becker, makes a considerable amount of money with this business.

On that evening in May 2013, “Heiliges Reich” shared the stage with the nazi rock bands “Strongside”, “Agharta” and “Volksnah”. “Strongside”, formerly known as “Commieknockers”, is a RAC band. Its vocalist Dennis Stöber is also part of the bands “Kampfzone” and “Fight Tonight”. The nazi band “Agharta” is based in Magdeburg. Its singer David Steingrüber makes videos for numerous nazi bands with his label “AD Versus Media”.

“Volksnah” – Nazi rock from Leipzig

“Volksnah” (“in touch with the people”) is a nazi band which was founded in 2011. They played several shows in “Central Germany”. Three of their five members – drummer Denny Unfried and guitarists Robert Beyer and Benjamin Lange – live or lived in Leipzig. They are friends with the Leipzig-based NS band “Thematik 25”.