Gary Lauck | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1953-05-12)May 12, 1953 (age 71) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Political activist, publisher |
| Years active | 1970s-present |
| Known for | NSDAP/AO |
Gerhard Rex Lauck (born May 12, 1953) is anAmerican neo-Nazi activist and publisher. Based inLincoln, Nebraska, he is sometimes referred to as the "Farm Belt Führer" due to his perceived rural origins.[1][2]
Gary Lauck was born inMilwaukee,Wisconsin, on May 12, 1953, to aGerman-American family.[3] At the age of eleven, he moved with his family toLincoln,Nebraska, where his father became a professor of engineering at theUniversity of Nebraska.[3] Lauck skipped his senior year of high school and attended the University of Nebraska for two years.[3] By this time, he had already adopted neo-Nazi beliefs.
In 1978, Lauck shot and wounded his brother Jerry following a political dispute.[3] He eventually moved toChicago, where he spent most of his adult life.[3] Since 2009, Lauck has lived inFairbury,[4] Nebraska.[5] Prior to that, he resided in Lincoln, Nebraska.
As the leader of theNSDAP/AO, Lauck maintained close contact with like-minded individuals and groups inEurope, includingMichael Kühnen, with whom he collaborated closely from the 1970s.[1] His connections to leaders and members of the German neo-Nazi scene date back to 1971 when, at just 18 years old, Lauck established theAuslandsorganisation (Overseas Organization) of the National Socialist Combat Groups. This militant German neo-Nazi group was swiftly banned by the West German government, leading to the formation of Lauck's NSDAP/AO.[6]
A notedGermanophile, Lauck sported atoothbrush moustache and regularly used theNazi salute as his greeting.[1] His speech impediment has often been mistaken for an affected German accent.[2] Although based in theUnited States, Lauck spent much of his time as an activist in Europe, particularly in the early 1990s, when the NSDAP/AO significantly expanded its network of contacts. He published large volumes of neo-Nazi literature in several languages and distributed computer disks containing detailed bomb-making instructions through a network of European collaborators.[1]
In 1990, Lauck facilitated a partnership between the NSDAP/AO and theSwedish neo-Nazi groupSveriges Nationella Forbund, which played a key role in forming the "Nordic National Socialist Bloc" alongside activists inNorway.[7] That same year, he played a pivotal role in assisting Kühnen,Gottfried Küssel, andChristian Worch in establishing a network ofGesinnungsgemeinschaft der Neuen Front cells across the formerEast Germany afterGerman reunification.[8]
Two years later, the NSDAP/AO reached an agreement with theNational Socialist Movement of Denmark, which had previously been a prominent member of the rivalWorld Union of National Socialists (WUNS). This shift followed the expulsion ofPovl Riis-Knudsen, a leading figure in WUNS, from the Danish Nazi movement after he married aPalestinian woman.[7]
During the early days of theYugoslav Wars, Lauck's journalNew Order published a series of articles supportingCroatia, with particular sympathy expressed for theUstaše. The magazine played a significant role in recruiting neo-Nazi-linked mercenaries to fight for the Croatian cause.[9]
In 1995, Lauck was arrested in Denmark, sparking afar-right campaign in the United States opposing his extradition to Germany, where he was wanted for distributing neo-Nazi propaganda.[10] Despite these efforts, Lauck was deported toHamburg, where he was tried and convicted of disseminating neo-Nazi pamphlets. He was sentenced to four years in prison.[11]
Lauck was released on March 19, 1999, and subsequently deported back to the United States.[12] He now operates Third Reich Books, which continues to distribute Nazi paraphernalia online.[13]
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