Antifa: From Weimar Streets to American Headlines

Before “Antifa” became a flashpoint in American politics, it was born on the streets of 1930s Berlin. In this episode of Roots of Today, we trace Antifa’s journey from its origins as Antifaschistische Aktion under Germany’s Communist Party, through the rise of the black bloc tactic in postwar Europe, to its presence in U.S. protest culture — from Seattle’s WTO demonstrations and Occupy Wall Street to the Portland clashes and the Trump era.

We’ll unpack the crucial question: is Antifa an organization, a movement, or an idea? And why does understanding its history matter so much in today’s debates about protest, democracy, and dissent?

Research: Elena, the Roots of Today archivist

Music by: Andrii Poradovskyi (