Matthew Heimbach

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Heimbach interviewed in 2015 in Germany

Matthew Warren Heimbach (born April 8, 1991) is a white nationalist[1] and Neo-Nazi[1] who tried to form alliances with other groups of the "far right". In September 2018, Heimbach took the position of community outreach director for the National Socialist Movement (NSM).[1] He founded the Traditionalist Workers Party (TWP), which ceased operation in March 2018 when he was arrested for assaulting Matt Parrott, a co-founder and his father-in-law,[1][2] in the course of Heimbach's pursuit of a sexual affair with his mother-in-law (Parrott's wife).[3]

Prior to his affair with his mother-in-law, Heimbach had assembled a community of neo-Nazis and anti-Jewish conspiracy theorists in a Paoli, Indiana trailer park.[3] Heimbach was considered the leader of this community, and had received media attention for his role in this regard, but lost credibility following the incident with his parents-in-law.[3]

Heimbach is a defendant in the Sines v. Kessler lawsuit filed by Integrity First for America that claims that he and other organizers in the 2017 Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia "planned and promoted violence against [a] protected group."[4][5]

In 2016, Heimbach was excommunicated from the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, the Christian denomination in which he formerly held membership, for the racist views he held at that time.[6][7]

Early life, education, and family[edit]

Heimbach, who is of German descent, was born in Poolesville, Maryland.[8] Heimbach's parents, Karl and Margaret Heimbach, are public school teachers whose political affiliation he describes as Mitt Romney-style Republicans. Heimbach says his views on race and immigration were formed early on by the writings of Pat Buchanan, especially the book "The Death of the West", and particularly his paleoconservative writing in American Renaissance. As early as his entrance to college, Towson University, he had begun to take in the writings of Jared Taylor, a self-described "race realist".[8]

Heimbach met his former wife Brooke at an American Renaissance conference.[8][9]

Ideology[edit]

The Southern Poverty Law Center has commented that Heimbach is "considered by many to be the face of a new generation of white nationalists."[10] According to the Counter Extremism Project, "Heimbach’s platform is based around the idea that the white race has been disadvantaged because of globalism and multiculturalism, which he has largely blamed on a global Jewish conspiracy. Heimbach claims that white unity is necessary because the Jews hate all white people equally."[11]

Heimbach has forged ties with nationalist groups from other countries, like Greece's far-right nationalist party Golden Dawn.[8] The United Kingdom government banned Heimbach from entering the country in October 2015 because his extremist rhetoric could incite violence.[11][12] Heimbach identified as a Strasserist.[13]

Traditionalist Youth Network[edit]

The Traditionalist Youth Network (TYN) was established in May 2013 by Matthew Heimbach with Matt Parrott as an offshoot of a "White Student Union" which was active on the Towson University campus.[14]

Traditionalist Worker Party[edit]

In January 2015 the TYN established the Traditionalist Worker Party (TWP) as its political party prior to the 2016 elections, and a small group of candidates from the far-right ran under its banner.[15] The party states that it stands against "economic exploitation, federal tyranny, and anti-Christian degeneracy".[15] The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremist groups, designated the Traditionalist Worker Party as a hate group. The group ceased operation in March 2018 when Heimbach was arrested for assaulting his then father-in-law, Matt Parrott, in a domestic violence altercation.[1][3]

Lawsuits and criminal convictions[edit]

In July 2017, Heimbach pled guilty to second-degree disorderly conduct for an incident when he repeatedly pushed an anti-Trump protester at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Louisville, Kentucky.[16] He received a suspended prison sentence, a fine, and an order to attend anger management classes.[17] In 2018, Heimbach was sentenced to 38 days in the Louisville jail for violating the terms of his probation.[17][16]

Sines v. Kessler lawsuit[edit]

A federal lawsuit was filed in October 2017 by a group of Charlottesville residents against organizers and key participants in the August 12, 2017 Unite the Right rally. Plaintiffs Elizabeth Sines, Seth Wispelwey, Marissa Blair, Tyler Magill, April Muniz, Hannah Pearce, Marcus Martin, Natalie Romero, Chelsea Alvarado, and John Doe claim that Heimbach and the other defendants conspired to commit acts of violence.[5][18] The trial was originally scheduled for October 2020, but was rescheduled to April 2021.[19]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Days after guilty plea, Matthew Heimbach re-emerges in new alliance with National Socialist Movement". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  2. ^ Lovan, Dylan. "White nationalist, a Towson University alumnus, jailed for violating Kentucky probation". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Michel, Casey. "Following affair with mother-in-law, white supremacist heads to jail". ThinkProgress.org. ThinkProgress. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  4. ^ Progress, Tyler Hammel The (Charlottesville) Daily. "Defendant files another motion to be dismissed from rally lawsuit". Roanoke Times. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Eligon, John. "He Says His Nazi Days Are Over. Do You Believe Him?". NYTimes.com. New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Kelaidis, Katherine (November 30, 2016). "How Orthodox Christianity Became the Spiritual Home of White Nationalism". Religion Dispatches.
  7. ^ Kelaidis, Katherine (August 18, 2017). "White Supremacy and Orthodox Christianity". Orthodox Christian Laity. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d "The Neo-Nazi Has No Clothes: In Search Of Matt Heimbach's Bogus 'White Ethnostate'". HuffPost. February 2, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  9. ^ "After family fiasco, TWP's Matthew Heimbach may spend summer in jail". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  10. ^ "Matthew Heimbach". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Matthew Heimbach". Counter Extremism Project. October 30, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  12. ^ Elgot, Jessica (November 4, 2015). "Theresa May bans US segregationist from UK for 'neo-Nazi' remarks". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  13. ^ Fischer, Ford. "Matthew Heimbach Expelled From National Socialist Movement, Source Says".
  14. ^ Traditionalist Youth Network, Anti-Defamation League (February 7, 2014).
  15. ^ a b Keegan Hankes, Meet the New Wave of Extremists Gearing Up for the 2016 Elections, Southern Poverty Law Center (October 19, 2015).
  16. ^ a b "White nationalist who shoved woman at Trump rally released from jail". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  17. ^ a b "What we know about Matthew Heimbach, Indiana white nationalist who helped promote Charlottesville". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "Defendants Ordered to Turn Over Messages in Aug. 12th-Related Lawsuit". www.nbc29.com. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  19. ^ "IFA's Charlottesville Case: Sines v. Kessler". Integrity First for America. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
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