Feuerkrieg Division Attempts to Recruit in the United States, Announces Creation of More ‘Cells’

Recent recruitment efforts by the Feuerkrieg Division (FKD), a small but growing neo-Nazi network modeled after the murderous Atomwaffen Division, raises concerns as to just how geographically diverse the group’s membership may be.

New European Cells

On June 13, 2019, the Feuerkrieg Division publicly announced the creation of “cells” in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Germany on the Gab social media network, as reported by the New Delhi Times earlier this year.

“We’re glad to announce that we have officially spread to the United Kingdom!” FKD posted from @FK_Division, a now-defunct Gab account. However, that same day and the next, the cell’s account stated it was “looking for” members in both the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Gab posts, June 13 and June 14, 2019. As of the time of this writing, FKD-GB is believed to be the only FKD cell to have its own emblem and ProtonMail email address.

Also on June 13, FKD wrote about the existence of “German cells,” which were interested in recruiting “additional members.” It is unclear how many FKD cells are in Germany, though it is likely there is only one.

Gab post, June 13, 2019.

Canadian Cell

On August 5, FKD’s Telegram channel announced the creation of its “Canadian cell” with a propaganda poster depicting the Star of David on top of a map of Canada. The image is emblazoned with the following phrases:

• Our fire rises
• Only bullets will stop us!
• Gott strafe Canada (German for “God punish Canada”)

As with most of FKD’s propaganda, the image also included the group’s ProtonMail email address and the call-to-action, “Join your local Nazis.” It’s unknown how many members are in any of the cells mentioned in this article.

Telegram message, August 5, 2019.

New Emblem

On August 3, FKD’s Telegram account posted a propaganda image with what appears to be the organization’s new emblem: a sword-penetrated Totenkopf, or “death’s head” insignia, with a generic theater mask.

Telegram message, August 3, 2019.

That same day, FKD also changed its Telegram channel photo to the new symbol…

…and used it in multiple propaganda posters uploaded thereafter.

Note the references to Dylann Roof and Brenton Tarrant in the image on the left, and the nod to the National Socialist Liberation Front (NSLF) organization in the middle. FKD’s repost of THE ETERNAL WIGNAT’s (TEW) photos suggests TEW is a member of the group. The image on the right highlights the group’s efforts to recruit in the US. Telegram messages were sent on August 7, August 6, and August 5, respectively.

Attempts to Recruit in the United States

Multiple posts on Telegram indicate FKD is also trying to recruit members in the United States, notably California, Texas, New York, and the Great Lakes region. The geographical specificity of the following messages suggests FKD members already reside in or near these areas, as well as the group’s intention to form and/or reinforce cells there. At the very least, the messages underscore FKD’s plans to expand to the United States from the continent it was founded in, Europe.

Telegram messages, July 23 and July 28, respectively.

The above raises the pressing question of just how North American FKD’s membership is. In other words, how many FKD members are currently in the United States and Canada? Multiple organizations, including the Counter Extremism Project and the Middle East Media Research Institute, have referred to FKD as a “European” far-right organization, but posts and images uploaded this year indicate it is — for the lack of better words — too intercontinental to be referred to as simply a European organization.

It may be more accurate to refer to FKD as a network with members across the world — an intercontinental far-right group.