Techno Viking: the story of a myth

ByJohn Titor

Jun 5, 2020 Chuck Norris, internet, meme, myth, techno viking, viral

This is the true story of a man, that suddenly became one of the most popular internet meme before being a legend, we talk about TechnoViking.

This story starts during the year 2000 edition of the Love Parade in Berlin, when protesters created their own political event (adequately called the F*ck Parade) in response to some restrictions imposed by the organisers.

This party was attended also by a film-maker, named Matthias Fritsch, who positioned himself at the back of a truck that was playing techno music., He shot a video of the dancers, and thus managed to immortalise an occurrence that has enthralled millions.

The video shows a woman with a blue wig dancing in front of a small crowd, then a man who is clearly not in full control of his decision-making skills comes into the shot and pushes her. That is when our hero makes his appearance. A man with no shirt, and a beard and haircut that would not be out of place in the set of Vikings. He restrains the attacker, admonishes him, and then starts following the van dancing like the techno deity that he is.

Others dance to the music, the music dances to Technoviking.
Nobody about TechnoViking

Everything was set up to greet a new hero…but it took 6 years for him to become what hew was predestined to.

The video, indeed, remained undiscovered in Mr Fritsch’s collection for almost seven years. In 2006 he decides to upload his videos to YouTube, and from there the video begins to get some traction. Times were mature and it was quickly turned into probably the first Internet meme.

This tall, muscular, charismatic, intimidating German man was about to become so popular on the internet that some (dumb) people started saying that he was more popular than the “Chuck Norris jokes“.

But, seriously guys, nobody can compete with Chuck!

However, the man behind the hero knocked the door and exited from the role. He apparently did not take the sudden fame kindly. Lawyers sent a letter to Fritsch asking for €250,000 EUR and threatening legal action. He did not comply, and in July 2012 he was sued in a civil court in Berlin for violation of image and personality rights, and for breach of privacy. Fritsch asked for the case to be dismissed, but the court sided with Technoviking.

The court refused to consider the privacy issue, but agreed that there had been a violation of image and personality rights, and convicted Fritsch to pay €10000 EUR out of the YouTube and merchandise earnings, as well as the trial and legal costs. Similarly, Fritsch is not allowed to display Technoviking in any video, not even in pixelated form, he must be completely erased digitally.

There is potential for further developments in the case. In 2013 Mr Fritsch started an indeigogo campaign to fund a documentary narrating the story of Technoviking, but it didn’t meet the goal of €10,000 EUR. He decided to conclude its work and the result is published here. The documentary complies with the injunction and does not show Technoviking, he is completely blacked out, making for a powerful visual metaphor of online censorship.

Despite of these circumstancies, Techno Viking is still a myth nowadays, together with thousands of meme based on images of unaware persons that suddenly see their faces on socials, chats or websites.

What do you think Harold?