Homosexuals have also been victims of this brutal, irrational violence. Less than ten years ago it was inconceivable that Nazis would march the streets of European cities again. It was totally inconceivable that committed activists would and could deny the historical fact of the Holocaust. In view of the many testimonies given by survivors, written documents and photographs, and an overwhelming amount of hard evidence, it is difficult to comprehend that growing numbers of young people now deny, or at least question, the authenticity of the fact that millions of people met their death in the Nazi gas chambers. Political organisations on the extreme right believe they are fighting a winning battle.
Xenophobic views seem to be catching hold of new groups.
In Germany place names such as Rostock, Hoyerswerda, M lln, and Solingen have become associated with racist murder. In Sweden the corresponding names are Klippan and Kode. These place names, where acts of racist terrorism have been committed, signify the return of ideas and ideals that most of us had come to believe were buried in the ruins of the Third Reich. The Swedish committee of the European Year Against Racism has devoted its work to opinion moulding, support for anti-racist activities at the local level, and to encourage organisations, authorities, and local government to take action in the struggle against racism. One project was to organise the two conferences, the papers from which are as sembled in this volume.