Arno Michaelis
Arno Michaelis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1970 or 1971 (age 54–55) Mequon, Wisconsin |
| Occupation | Non-fiction author |
| Notable works | My Life After Hate The Gift of Our Wounds |
Arno Michaelis (born 1970 or 1971) is an American author, activist and former neo-Nazi.[1] He has written two books and in 2011 co-founded Life After Hate, an advocacy group, with the group's goal being to "build a safer society by making it possible for people to break free from lives of violent hate and extremism through evidence-based interventions.”[2]
Early life
[edit]Michaelis grew up in an "alcoholic, emotionally cold household" in Mequon, Wisconsin, and became a bully at school.[3][4] He began "drinking profusely" at age 14, and became involved with neo-Nazi ideology and music at age 16. He dropped out of high school and went on to front Centurion,[4] a neo-Nazi metal band in Milwaukee for seven years, although he "couldn't carry a tune".[5] Although Michaelis had doubts about the community, he found it difficult to consider leaving.[5]
In 1994, he broke up with his partner, becoming a single parent to their 18-month-old daughter. He broke from the neo-Nazi community later that year, after realizing "if I didn't leave, prison or death would take me from my daughter".[5] By 1996, he was completely divorced from the community.[3] He went on to work in information technology.[3]
Writing and activism
[edit]Michaelis was a volunteer with Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.[3]
In 2010, Michaelis self-published a memoir, My Life After Hate, which he revised in 2012.[3] In 2018, he co-wrote the memoir The Gift of Our Wounds alongside Pardeep Kaleka.[6]
In 2011, he co-founded Life After Hate, although by 2017 he was no longer involved with the group.[3]
Michaelis co-founded the community group Serve2Unite with Pardeep Kaleka, whose father was killed in the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting in 2012.[4]
Michaelis has worked with organizations such as Parents For Peace.[5]
Personal life
[edit]Michaelis is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[3] Raised in a non-religious family, he was a practicing Buddhist by 2017.[3]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Arno Michaelis". The Forgiveness Project. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- ↑ "Life After Hate helps people leave hate-fueled violence". Life After Hate. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gunn, Erik (2017-12-20). "Overcoming Hate: A Former Skinhead Works for Racial Justice". Progressive.org. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- 1 2 3 Ramde, Dinesh (2013-08-05). "Reformed white supremacist hopes for redemption". The Times of Israel. ISSN 0040-7909. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- 1 2 3 4 Orwig, Jessica; Risafi, Nazar (2025-04-28). "I was a neo-Nazi for 7 years going through life in constant hate and fear. My daughter was the major push I needed to finally quit". Business Insider. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
- ↑ "The Gift Of Our Wounds". Kirkus Reviews. 2018-02-05.