RASH was officially launched on January 1st, 1993 by members of the Mayday Crew (R.I.P.), a left-wing skinhead crew based in the New York area, with support from skinheads in Ottawa, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati and Montreal. Shortly after the initial call went out for the formation of such a network, chapters formed in other countries (Colombia, Italy, Germany, etc.). Now RASH is spread across North America, South America, Europe and the Caribbean.

    If you are familiar with skinhead culture then you should already know that real skins aren't racist. There are many pages out on the web that have a good summery of the history of the skinhead movement. Somewhere in the movement someone thought that skinheads should stop caring about politics and what is happening in the world. Now people claim that this is the way that it always was. This is not true. There have always been leftist skins in the scene. One of the main ideas associated with being a skinhead is being working class. Leftist skins believe in working class politics because we are aware of the inequalities of the classes.
    When I get all of the information from New York I am going to have a history of the left-wing skinheads here. Here is the info from Germany. If you are a redskin and whould like to send your area's history we would be very happy to post it.

THE RED SKINHEAD MOVEMENT IN GERMANY By Red Devil (RASH-Germany)
Edited for clarity (not content) by D. Sabater (RASH-NYC)

    In March 1995, we founded the German section of Red and Anarchist Skin Heads (RASH). In August 1995 the first redskin zine in years was published, called "Revolution Times". In January 1996 we had a block of around 50 redskins in Berlin at the yearly manifestation to honor Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg. The cops attacked the demonstration many times, including at the grave of both of the great revolutionaries. They hunted some of our mob, because they couldn't let skinheads exist at a left-wing demo.

    On April 30th and May 1st, the first two official RASH concerts happened near Monchengladbach, with bands like Klasse Kriminale (Italy), Poblers United (Sweden), Short 'N' Curlies, etc. We took part in the May Day demonstration with a mob of 60 redskins or so. We had a lot of fun and the police were scared of us.

    But I can say that there is not really a redskin scene in existence in Germany. I know redskins around all of Germany, but we are only a few (around 150-200) and a minority. Bad, but reality! The "apolitical" skins are the majority, but there are also many non and anti-fascist skins. However, tolerance of right-wing tendencies and bands is growing.

    I don't think Germany has ever had a real redskin band like the Redskins, Kortatu or Remences. In the past there were red fanzines called "ROTE FRONT" and "KB 84/REASON WHY?", but they existed in the 80's. I know some redskin gangs in different towns: a very cool gang in Hamburg (near Lubeck), in Monchengladbach, Braunschweig, Gieben, Berlin, etc. Before the foundation of RASH there existed little groups of redskins in several towns which did not have very good contact with each other. For example, in Berlin there was the "ROTE GARDE" (Red Guard).

    Redskins work in several groups and organizations here, as well as in the RASH network. But I have to say that with RASH we are really at the beginning. Many skins here in Germany hate redskins. Some of the redskins are a little bit Stalinist, but more are against Stalin and company.

    In Germany there is one really red label called "Mad Butcher Records". His releases are very good. He released the STAGE BOTTLES (a rather left skin band), COMRADE (redskin band from Belgium), and made a redskin band sampler with BANDA BASSOTTI, RED LONDON, etc. called "See You In Valhalla". One of us has a shop in Monchengladbach (NIGHTMARE RECORDS), and sells skinhead clothes, music, etc. I started a little mailorder called "REVOLUTION TIMES MAILORDER" and I deal with stuff from bands like BANDA BASSOTTI, KORTATU, the OPPRESSED, AUT AUT, etc.

    There are also good parties and concerts here in Germany, but many times there are also boneheads present. Sometimes there is trouble. For example, in Stuttgart in April 1995 there was a fight between red and anti-fascist skins on one side and boneheads/fascists on the other. We won, but the boneheads beat up punks and non/anti-fascist skins at concerts. The situation and the atmosphere in the scene is getting worse. Too much tolerance for fascists, their bands, zines, etc.

    I can only say, Let's build a strong left-wing skinhead movement and fight right-wing tendencies back! Don't lose your working class pride! Begin to control your lives! Be active and don't passively consume! Make a band, do a fanzine, support the scene! Fight for your class and future! Fight for your own life, and not for the pigs in the State! Not for the bosses and their country, their riches and profit! But never forget to have fun!
    As Kortatu and Negu Gorriak said: Jaia bai, borroka ere bai! (Yes to the party, yes to the fight!).

Stay Rebel, Stay Red, Stay Skinhead! Smash the System!

(RASH Germany can be reached c/o Revolution Times, Postlagernd, 23501 Lubeck, Germany)