RT Article T1 Political culture, xenophobia and the development of the violence of the radical right in the Federal Republic of Germany JF Crime, law and social change VO 24 IS 1 SP 37 OP 47 A1 Trotha, Trutz von 1946-2013 LA English YR 1995 UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/188386707X AB Recently an increasing amount of violent racism has been directed at foreigners in Germany. Current theoretical explanations are deficient because they fail to recognize the historical role of the political culture. This paper argues that political elites are responsible for initiating rhetoric and policy that has created an environment where xenophobic and racist violence can flourish. "Positive normalization" is defined as a process for the neutralization of the violent Nazi past and the reconstruction of a German nationalist identity. "Negative normalization" is described as responsible for the decriminalization and trivialization of xenophobic and racist violence. It is argued that unless changes within the German political culture are taken into account, criminological perspectives on the current situation will inevitably be limited. NO Literaturverzeichnis. Seite 47 K1 Current Situation K1 Federal Republic K1 International Relation K1 Political Culture K1 Theoretical Explanation DO 10.1007/BF01297656