The Life of Francis Parker Yockey

by Baron of Pinellas and Zoltanous

Introduction

Francis Parker Yockey has significantly influenced the neo-fascist movement, receiving acclaim from many who share his perspectives. His advocacy for a Spenglerian Worldview, focusing on the creation of a Pan-European Empire, has been notably celebrated. Yockey devoted his life to the idea of a Europe free from external cultural influences that he believed diluted its true nature. He aspired for Europe to fulfill its World Destiny through "Endless Imperialism" and the rise of "Ethical Socialism." Despite the obscurity surrounding much of Yockey's early life, this exploration aims to illuminate his biography and examine the development of his political activism.

The Life of Francis Parker Yockey

Francis Parker Yockey, born on September 18, 1917, in Chicago, Illinois, came from German and Irish heritage, with roots in Bavaria, a region traditionally Catholic, which aligned with his family's faith. As a young man, Yockey was a talented classical pianist until a crash-induced hand injury affected his musical skills. He attended four different colleges during his youth, where he began to delve into politics, notably writing Philosophy of Constitutional Law in 1937. This work, influenced by a Spenglerian view, analyzed constitutional law as an expression of organic historical growth. Yockey contributed articles to the Christian nationalist publication Social Justice in Chicago, including the distinguished Tragedy of Youth.

In 1939, Yockey's engagement with the Silver Shirts brought him under FBI scrutiny after he gave a law speech in Chicago and joined their legal team in Wiesbaden. He also wrote anonymously for Father Charles Coughlin's Social Justice newspaper. While with the Red Cross in Germany, Yockey's admiration for William Dudley Pelley and his promiscuous behavior led some to consider him "queer." Despite working for American forces, Yockey's allegiance was firmly to Europe. He used his position to help Maurice Bardèche and other Germans being prosecuted by the Americans, leading the FBI to claim Yockey aimed to "create a new Germany." As a post-trial review attorney, he openly supported Germany, with reports of German anthems heard from his living quarters and statements criticizing Jewish influence and advocating for European unity.

“His motives were several: to obtain documents that could be used in future defense cases, to run interference with the commission by offering objective analyses rather than vengeful propaganda and to live in devastated Germany for the purpose of contacting the post-war resistance.”

— Kerry Bolton, Yockey: A Fascist Odyssey

Rare photo of Francis Parker Yockey

FBI sources detailed how Yockey sought German translators for his writings, and some alleged he tried to enlist ex-Wehrmacht soldiers to counter American influence in Germany. In the introduction to the Noontide Press edition of Imperium, Willis Carto explained that Yockey was criticized by Sonenfield for reports that did not align with the official stance; Yockey, emphasizing his legal background over journalism, suggested they produce their own propaganda instead. Yockey was fervently committed to opposing what he saw as Eastern barbarism and the forces distorting Western culture. In 1948, he wrote Imperium, dedicating it to Adolf Hitler, whom he called the "Hero." Writing in Ireland, Yockey called for a unified Western Empire to fulfill the West’s destiny, drawing from Carl Schmitt, Oswald Spengler, and Friedrich Nietzsche.

Yockey decried "culture distortion," blaming it for the West's failures in unity, and critiqued Liberalism, Communism, and Democracy as materialistic and rationalistic 20th-century ideologies. He believed these led to the prioritization of money over heritage, the rise of feminism, and the erosion of the nation-state. Imperium was praised by right-wing figures like Mosley, Evola, Schmitt, Kerry Bolton, and Willis Carto. Yockey even offered to let Oswald Mosley publish it under his own name, seeing him as a key figure in Europe’s liberation, though Mosley eventually declined after distributing around 200 copies due to a disagreement over American cultural influence.

John Gannon noted that Yockey's aim with Imperium was to engage a specific audience capable of influencing Western culture’s future, valuing instinct over intellectual understanding. Those who connected with the book were seen as crucial to its influence. Yockey also encountered George Lincoln Rockwell, the American Nazi Party leader, who found Yockey's ideas compelling and supported his book. Yet, Rockwell critiqued Yockey as leading a "cult" and labeled him a "Strasserite.”

“Rockwell regarded Yockey as a traitor to the USA vis-à-vis the Cold War. He described Yockey as a ‘Strasserite’, a reference to Otto and Gregor Strasser, leaders of a ‘Left-wing’ faction of National Socialism critical of Hitler.’’

— Kerry Bolton Yockey: A Fascist Odyssey

“There is rising all over the world, among hard-core National Socialists, a new cult of what I call Yockeyism. I found much of interest in Yockey’s book Imperium and I actually helped promote it. But the cult founded on this man is dangerous and, I believe, in some ways downright evil.’’

— George Lincoln Rockwell, Rockwell Report July 1964

Oswald Mosley and Francis Parker Yockey were united in their advocacy for a "European Idea," aiming to move beyond the limited nationalisms that characterized the 19th century. In his contributions to the Union Paper, Yockey critiqued the negative impact of conservative financial interests and predicted the fall of antiquated ideologies in favor of emerging thoughts. Yockey believed that resistance to innovation is a natural phenomenon, as new ideas often confront the established ones, attracting forward-thinking individuals and leaving the old paradigm struggling to grasp the zeitgeist. Moreover, the current power holders tend to resist change to maintain the status quo that benefits them. While the European Liberation Front (ELF) originated in England, Yockey envisioned expanding its presence globally. The ELF undertook various initiatives, including publishing FrontFighter, a newsletter that explored a range of ideas and issues, albeit for a short duration.

A picture of the FrontFighter publication.

The ELF, under Yockey's guidance, sought alliances with various political figures and groups of the era, notably attempting collaboration with the Socialist Reich Party. Efforts to engage Gerald L. K. Smith were less fruitful; following a presentation by Yockey, Smith openly criticized Yockey's viewpoints in a subsequent speech. Smith declared his allegiance to democracy and Christianity, rejecting Yockey's disdain for democracy and his views on Jewish people and Western civilization. Yockey was left pondering if Smith's emphasis on Christianity over his (Yockey's) secular arguments was a strategic divergence or a critique of Yockey's lack of religious references, considering the convention's focus on Christianity and anti-Semitism.

Within the ELF, Guy Chesham emerged as a critical voice, particularly against Oswald Mosley, accusing him of compromising with Winston Churchill, whom Chesham viewed as a betrayer of Europe. The ELF then merged with The European League, an Italian group, under the ELF banner, with Neri leading the unified organization. This merger, including an alliance with the Socialist Reich Party, marked a step forward for Yockey's ambitions. Despite offering Oswald Mosley the authorship of his work Imperium, hoping Mosley would lead Europe, Mosley's disinterest led to a rift. This split was exacerbated by their differing views on America's influence versus the Russian threat, with Yockey prioritizing the cultural survival of Europe over geopolitical concerns. Yockey criticized the American-Jewish relationship for degrading European values, arguing that Russian dominance would be preferable as it might eliminate Europe's "Inner Enemy" and unify the continent spiritually.

Imperium received mixed reactions, especially Yockey's unique interpretations of race, which included both a spiritual dimension and a critique of Nordicist biological emphases. Yockey argued for a European spiritual ethnogenesis, suggesting that cultural assimilation was possible within European groups but not with "alien cultural groups," with Slavs being a potential exception due to their "Northern Barbarian Stock." Yockey's discourse on race intertwined biological, cultural, and spiritual aspects, proposing a focus on a "Culture Bearing Stratum" to enhance the race's quality. He posited that Western culture could not integrate individuals from certain "barbaric races" due to insurmountable cultural and biological differences.

“The touching of this racial-frontier case of the Negro however, shows to Europe a very important fact — that race-difference between white men, which means Western men, is vanishingly small in view of their common mission of actualizing a High Culture. In Europe, where hitherto the race difference between, say, Frenchman and Italian has been magnified to great dimensions, there has been no sufficient reminder of the race-differences outside the Western Civilization. Adequate instruction along this line would apparently have to take the form of occupation of all Europe, instead of only part of it, by Negroes from America and Africa, by Mongols and Turkestani from the Russian Empire.”

— Francis Parker Yockey, Imperium

“English, German, French, Spanish - these are now mere place names and linguistic variations. Like all other rich products of our rich culture, they will continue, but they are no longer political terms. Local cultures in Europe may be diversified as they wish, and they will enjoy perfect autonomy in the European Imperium,now that the oppression of vertical nationalism is dead. Anyone who seeks to perpetuate petty-statism or old fashioned nationalism is the inner enemy of Europe. He is playing the game of extra-European forces; he is dividing Europe and committing treason." 

— Francis Parker Yockey, Imperium

Francis Parker Yockey places his hand on the shoulder of his sister, Vignette Coyne

Frederick Weiss, a devotee of Oswald Spengler like Yockey, was a significant ally and friend to Yockey. Weiss contributed writings and support to radical groups, exploring Spenglerian ideas in his piece Germania delende est. Here, Weiss delved into the notion that race is influenced by genetics and environment, voicing his alarm over the white world's peril amidst the rise of non-white populations and communist influences within white societies. Weiss pondered the utility of atomic weaponry when the adversary had penetrated the defenses. During periods of legal pursuit against Yockey, Weiss offered sanctuary, providing a safe haven for Yockey when he returned to the United States. Weiss and Yockey alike considered Russia a distinct civilization, sprawling across Eurasia, and aspired to create a Great Russian Empire.

Keith Thompson stood as Yockey's principal ally in America, sharing a critical view of American culture. Thompson was a key financier of Yockey's endeavors, notably the publication Enemy of Europe, although many copies were seized and destroyed by the West German authorities. Together, they backed Generalmajor Otto Ernst Remer and his political movement by forming the Committee For International Justice to support Remer. In his advocacy efforts, Thompson cited Yockey's involvement, especially in a letter advocating for Spandau prison detainees, and reported Yockey's contributions in his mandatory filings as a foreign agent.

Yockey aligned himself with Christianity, identifying as a "Gothic" Christian. Adrian Arcand, a fascist leader from Canada, noted Yockey’s belief in the indispensability of Christianity to the Western identity. Yockey often heralded the ethos of the crusader in his historical narratives of the West. He held the view that "Gothic Christianity" served as a cornerstone for unity in the Western world, with the Crusades marking a pivotal moment in the emergence of Western civilization. He envisaged a revival of this Gothic Christian tradition or the creation of a novel Pan-European Christian movement as the spiritual foundation for a future European Empire.

“The Imperative of our age The old Gothic religious idea is still with us— it is at his last moment that a man shows what is in him in its purity. Though he may have lived a wastrel, he may die a hero, and it is this last act of his life that creates the image of him that will survive in the minds of his descendants. We cannot possibly value a life according to its length, as Materialism did..”

— Francis Parker Yockey, History of The West

In 1957, Francis Parker Yockey was under FBI surveillance in Los Angeles, with suspicions around his involvement in questionable activities for financial gain. During this period, Yockey, under the alias John Priapus, penned explicit novels focusing on lesbian BDSM themes to make ends meet, with one such publication, Arduous Figure Training at Bondhaven, becoming the center of an obscenity legal case. FBI documents reveal Yockey's charismatic appeal to women, noting a complicated relationship with a woman from Chicago in 1941 and his liaisons with multiple women while in Germany. Reports also detail an affair with a colleague's wife in Baltimore, leading to their elopement. Moreover, while in Los Angeles, Yockey purportedly relied on the financial support of a wealthy Jewish woman drawn to his fascist ideologies.

Yockey harbored profound anxieties about potential FBI interrogation tactics, fearing they might resort to torture to extract information about his close contacts, as shared by a fellow prisoner. Discussions around potentially committing him to a psychiatric facility for a lobotomy heightened his fears. Posthumously, psychologists diagnosed him as a paranoid psychopath, a label influenced by Yockey's deception to secure an army discharge in 1943 and the looming threat of confinement similar to poet Ezra Pound's long-term institutionalization.

Yockey's interpersonal skills were notably lacking; he had few friends and primarily interacted with acquaintances and ideological supporters. His demeanor, often perceived as aloof and arrogant, likely hindered closer relationships. An FBI analysis characterized him as nervous, erratic, unpredictable, and authoritarian, with an air of superiority that frequently agitated others. Despite his intellectual capabilities and memory, Yockey's judgment was frequently questioned. He struggled to connect with men but was generally well-received by women, excluding his strained relationship with his mother. His sister, Alice Spurlock, was among the few who managed to maintain a close relationship with him. American authorities started monitoring Yockey in 1946 while he was in Germany, culminating in his arrest by the FBI in 1960 after he returned to the United States. Yockey's life ended in tragedy on June 17, 1960, due to cyanide poisoning. Willis Carto, a staunch supporter and posthumous publisher of Yockey's work, was the last known person to visit him in custody.

A collage of Yockey’s disguises

A photo of Yockey being arrested

“We knew him well as few men knew his nobility of purpose and his fiery determination to set aright a world of rapidly diminishing values; these tasks to him mattered, not the bourgeois struggle for comfort and convenience, nor the magnet of conformity to the petty edicts of a suicide-bent society.

When the history is written, There will be chroniclers who will remember the contributions of Francis Yockey of Ulick Varange and Imperium. The European Liberation Front will remember, an embattled continent will remember, and honor his sacrifice.”

— Keith Thompson, Eulogy for Yockey 

Yockeys Legacy 

Yockey's contributions to the ideological landscape of neo-fascism are profound, with his concept of "Culture Vitalism" resonating widely, even among those who do not directly follow Spengler's teachings. This notion advocates for purging the nation of destructive influences, akin to detoxifying a living organism. Inspired by Yockey, Keith Thompson further explored these ideas through his development of "Culture Pathology," an extension of Yockey's Vitalism. Thompson posited that the individual's drive for power could be harmonized with societal constructs through Culture, Pathology, and Civilization, ultimately forging a society populated by superhumans, or "Ubermensch." He contended that Civilization itself acts as a formidable force that embodies and brings to fruition the superhuman ideal. In his comprehensive discussions on the Corporate State, Thompson envisioned it as a means to mold the nation into an entity capable of nurturing such superhumans.

Bolton says:

“We might then consider fascism as a collective or social will-to-power and ‘overcoming’ of decay, as distinct from Nietzsche’s individual self-overcoming and will-to-power. In both instances it is a will-to-health and life. This collective will-to-power would be organised as the corporate state.”

— Kerry Bolton, Yockey: a Fascist Odyssey

Dr. Edward Robert Cawthron, an Australian National Socialist, was deeply influenced by Yockey's theory of Culture Vitalism and further integrated Yockey's idea of the "Horizontal Race" to foster unity among Australia's diverse white populations. This approach allowed Cawthron to include European Hungarians in his vision, without categorizing them as outsiders, which would have been the case under a "Vertical Race" ideology. Cawthron saw the synthesis of National Socialist ideology with Yockey's cultural perspectives as a pathway to a brighter future.

In France, Yockey's impact is notably profound within the French New Right, where his ideas have been warmly received by many intellectuals, including Alain de Benoist, who authored the introduction to a work on Yockey in Europe-Action. Christian Bouchet, a leading figure in promoting Yockey's thoughts in France, wrote Yockey le précurseur for Notre Europe In 1981. Gilbert Gendron contributed Yockey l'Européen to Ecrits de Paris In 1998, and in 2002, Jean Mabire wrote about Yockey in National-Hebdo, the journal associated with the Front National, in an article titled Francis Parker Yockey, le mystérieux auteur d'un livre maudit. The French New Right has deeply internalized Yockey's ideas, continuing to champion the ethos of the ELF across various platforms and movements.