The skinhead movement in Germany originated in 1984 with a series of demonstrations held in Hanover against what these youths saw as the "foreign threat." While skinheads have emerged in other cities across Germany, this author contends that their numbers are fewer than reported by the media. The typical German skinhead is an unemployed, uneducated adolescent who receives welfare and adopts the style of his group. There are three primary categories of skinheads. The Redskin is non-violent, the Fasoskin identifies with the Nazi movement, and the authentic German skin is violent but not aligned to any political party. The primary victims of skinhead attacks are dark-skinned foreigners; weapons of choice include knives, ball bats, brass knuckles, and even guns. Train stations, football stadiums, and concerts are the most popular haunt for violent skinheads. The entire skinhead/gang scene in Germany is integrally involved in the prominence of extremist political groups on both the right and the left. 5 references