Friday 21, April
Neo-Nazi tattoo studio may move to Prenzlauer Berg
Utgard has been a national meeting spot for neo-Nazis since 1997
There goes the neighbourhood. Residents of Prenzlauer Berg are worried by a new business that has moved into Danziger Strasse. Run by self-confessed neo-Nazi Frank Lutz. Utgard Tattoo must be doing relatively well for itself as it has just relocated to Prenzlauer Berg from Lichtenberg.
Utgard has been a national meeting spot for neo-Nazis since 1997, according to leaflets circulated by Danziger Strasse residents. Lutz himself has openly been connected with various right-wing groups, including the NA (Nationale Alternative), which was founded in East Berlin.
District politicians are concerned. When asked by Berliner Zeitung, Pankow chairperson Hannah Wittig said “We are alarmed that a founder of the Nationale Alternative wants to move his tattoo studio to Prenzlauer Berg. We will closely monitor what is happening here and exchange ideas with our colleagues in Lichtenberg. We will vehemently oppose a Nazi meeting place in Prenzlauer Berg.”
Right now it’s still unclear whether Lutz himself is actually active at Utgard’s new location. Its Prenzlauer Berg address is shared with another tattoo studio, Edelschmerz. An employee there only confirmed that “two or three” tattoo artists from Utgard were now working at Edelschmerz. When asked if Frank Lutz worked there, the employee preferred not to comment.
