The Empire Never Ended

In this hybrid between the first and second arc, TENE crew ventures into to the world Yugoslav war music of the 1990s so loved by the edgy memelords of the more smooth-brained corners of the internet. DJ Boris gets on the 1s and 2s and subjects Rey and Fritz to some of the "hits" of the genre while trying to figure out what is so appealing about Ustaša cock rock and genocidal carnival music. This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

TENE welcomes friend of the show, Pinto, to take them on a detour from their usual theme of fascists and Nazis and explore a fascinating period in the history of Jews in the Balkans. Hear about Sabbatai Zvi, the false prophet who bucked Kosher law, advocated polygamy, and changed Jewish history. Learn the Serbian connection to proto-Zionism with Rabbi Alkalai who called for 19th century Jews to return to Israel to await the return of the messiah in 1840 and who, despite messing up the date and declared heretical in his own time, made a lasting impression of the development of Jewish nationalism. Meet David Albala, Serbian military officer and Jewish community leader who inspired Serbia to be the first country to endorse the Balfour Declaration. Also, the political and philosophical differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic groups on the Zionist question, the Herzl family's connection to Zemun in today's Belgrade, the Sephardic partisans and Spanish Civil War volunteers, the weird brand of anti-Zionism of the only Hasidic dynasty in Yugoslavia, and Pinto's love of whacky colonization schemes. This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

For those of you who haven't had enough of the Chetniks, the Dude abides! TENE welcomes historian Stevan Bozanich to dig even deeper into the 'movement' which, despite remaining at the forefront of ideological struggles in the Balkans today nonetheless remains riddled with questions. Boris, Fritz, and Rey ask Stevan about the early Chetniks and their relationship to the Black Hand and the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO/VMRO) and how a group infamous for regicide produced the ostensibly monarchist Chetnik movement. The crew then moves to the '20s and '30s, discussing the Chetnik's connection to Yugoslavism and their steady move towards anti-union violence and arguably proto-fascist politics. Stevan fills in the gaps of Draža Mihailović's story and the foundation of the Ravna Gora movement, as well as its connections to Chetniks outside of Serbia. Inevitably, the discussion turns to World War II, touching on the Chetnik relationship to Partizans, domestic fascist Dimitrije Ljotić, and deals with the Nazis and Ustaša. Stevan offers a fascinating and intimate glimpse into figures like Momčilo Đujić, Pavle Đurišić, and Dragiša Vasić as well as the formative Serbian Cultural Club. Finally, TENE and Stevan discuss the amnesty of Chetniks at the end of the war and their integration into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as the impact this integration has on dominant historical and political narratives today. It's a long one but a necessary piece of an often frustrating historical puzzle. Stevan Bozanich's upcoming doctoral dissertation is entitled Towards Collaboration and Genocide: Serbian Chetnik Ideology, 1903-1946. Follow him on twitter @stevanbozanich This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

Rey returns to the UDBA archives to unearth some more tales of dumb Nazi shit from wartime Yugoslavia: the misadventures of Serbian Nazi 'Stay-Behind' units! Meet Branko Gašparević, a singing school teacher for refugee children and inept saboteur for the Nazis who can't seem to pull off a successful mission to save his life (literally). Rey tells the story of Gašparević's trajectory from an ideologue of the quisling Zbor organization of Dimitrije Ljotić, through his time as a deputy commander of the anti-resistance Serbian Volunteer Corps, and finally to the establishment of his own "Hunter Group" under the auspices of Nazi intelligence. These haggard 'failnazis' try time and time again to prove their worth to the occupier, and each time completely fuck it up. Grab some popcorn and enjoy! This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

Rey begrudgingly guides TENE through wartime-Yugoslavia's own Jerky Boys, the infamous Chetniks! Renowned in Serbia and beyond as a 'monarchist anti-fascist resistance group', Rey ruins Chetniks for everyone by revealing them to be murderous collaborators on the one hand, and ridiculous clowns on the other. The boys elaborate on figures like Draža Mihailović, the Chetnik high commander with little authority and shrinking legitimacy, and Momčilo Đujić, Orthodox priest and Ustaša snitch still somehow lionized by Serbian nationalists today despite running a death camp known as "Little Jasenovac". It's not all blood and guts though, as Rey tells it, the Chetniks also had a penchant for pretty lame pranks, AKA, the height of their so-called 'resistance'. Also discussed: Chetnik style, a historic drinking contest, Operation Halyard, and the 'Urkel Defense' against war crimes. Credit: Canned laughter from Evil Ear, downloaded from freesound.org This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

Jumping forward a bit in time to the post-war Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), Boris takes The Empire Never Ended on a quick tour of Partisan Cinema and its historical context. Boris, Fritz, and Rey discuss some of the genre's most iconic films: Slavica (1947), Kozara (1962), Battle of Neretva (1969), Battle of Sutjeska (1973), and the epic Nazi-slaughter romp, Walter Defends Sarajevo (1972). Boris and Rey discuss Tito's cinephelia and his uncommon celebrity, while Fritz describes his favorite scenes and struggles to say "Sutjeska". Also, the uncanny similarities between Battle of Neretva and the Empire Strikes Back, the central role of music in Partisan films, the failure of Chetnik media, and a shitton of terrified horses. This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

TENE pod welcomes back Kemal to narrate some truly crazy shit that went down in the port town of Fiume, also known as Rijeka in today's Croatia, a little more than a century ago. Watch the fundaments of fascism flower from the cocaine-addled brain of celebrated war hero, poet, and daredevil, Gabriele D'Annunzio! Marvel at the sense-defying stunts of his nudist right-hand man and pig-thieving air pirate, Guido Keller! Weep at the tragic tale of shotgun-riding futurist donkey, Camellino! Somewhere between Porco Rosso and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the story of the Italian Regency of Carnaro and its flamboyant Comandante is not one to miss! Opening song: "Alba Separa Dalla Luce L'Ombra" written by Gabriele D'Annunzio, composed by Paolo Tosti, and sung by Enrico Caruso. English translation, "Day Man, (uwaaaahhh) Master of the Night Man". This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

Boris, Fritz, and Rey get loose to talk about their recent collision with the Astral Bone Gnawer's Lodge and TENE's bizarre but expected premier in Balkan tabloids. In order to avoid wrongly appearing like they're taking sides in an ecumenical battle by exposing the O9A's infiltration in the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, the fellas excoriate the rest of the major nationalist projects and their religious avatars in the region for good measure. Other topics: Varg Vikernes, martyrs against traffic safety, and some speculation about the future of the O9A. This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Check out our Medium article about the ABG here! Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube

The conversation dives into the troubling connections between Nazi Satanists and the Montenegrin Orthodox Church. They shine a light on the Order of Nine Angles, its extremist ideologies, and bizarre figures like a deacon editing their journals. Absurdities of Montenegrin politics emerge, including humorous anecdotes about a self-proclaimed 'spiritual advisor.' The hosts critique the intersections of nationalism, extremism, and idea propagation while revealing the dangers this poses in today's society. Expect insights and laughter amidst the darkness!

The TENE guys often talk about nationalist contradictions, and there are historical moments, usually quite obscure(d), in which these contradictions are made very clear and totally bizarre. Today, gather round and hear a tale of three such moments... yes kids, it's the Wacky Adventures of Ustašas! First, in a bid to compete with the far more popular Croatian Peasant Party, the rabidly nationalist Croatian Party of Rights seeks an alliance with the increasingly nationalist People's Radical Party in Belgrade. It's a bit of an embarrassment that key Ustašas like Milan Šufflay, Slavko Kvaternik, and even Ante Pavelić himself were begging for support and money from Serbia's most important conservative party. Failing to keep their attention or funds, the Party of Rights goes full-on Ustaša! Pondering this twist of fate, Rey is compelled to make a case for parallel universes. In his second tale, Rey narrates the lackluster "attack on the Brušane Precinct" which brought the Ustaša name to the headlines and kicked off the fascist career of bloodthirsty lawyer Andrija Artuković. Their so-called uprising fails to attract the peasantry but does garner some critically optimistic attention from the rising Yugoslav Communist Party. More importantly, it spurs the Yugoslav state to completely freak out and make everything a lot worse. In his third and final tale, Rey takes us all the way to Buenos Aires in the 1950s where escaped Serbian Nazi Milan Stojadinović and escaped Croatian Nazi Ante Pavelić develop a bizarre friendship. The story gets even weirder when Rey intimates a compelling State connection... This is The Empire Never Ended, the Antifascist Amerikanski-Balkan podcast about (neo) fascist terror, the (deep) state and the alienation, nihilism and desperation produced by the capitalist system. And how to get rid of all that. Something like that... Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly premium episodes! And check out our social media for updates and whatnot: Twitter + Facebook + Instagram + YouTube