The Aryan Brotherhood in Oz - Overview

Overview

The Aryans of Oz are a loosely organized gang of white supremacist inmates. As a minority (22% of prisoners in Oz are White), the Caucasian-American prisoners of the gang mostly come from criminal backgrounds already related to racially-motivated crimes and join the Brotherhood to continue such beliefs. Some of the inmates join the gang on the basis of shared skin color and for protection from the larger racially-organized gangs of Oz, such as the Homeboys, though unlike the latter, the initiation to enter the Brotherhood usually always involves violent action. The Brotherhood look after extremist white interests, which involves highly violent, highly racist and xenophobic ideologies and attitudes. Their atrocities involve racism, rape, sadism, and a general lack of humanity. To be an Aryan in Oz involves having pure white blood and a demonstration of fearlessness through killing preferably a higher ranking black inmate. Although the group consists of several Caucasian-American inmates across all units and blocks of Oz, their leadership and main operations is shown as being first based in Emerald City, and then moving to Unit B for the duration of the show.

The leadership and membership of the Aryans remains consistent throughout the series, with Vernon Schillinger being the undisputed leader. James Robson and Mark Mack also represent and enforce the Brotherhood in the absence of Schillinger on several occasions. Because white inmates are a minority and the initiation to enter the Brotherhood's circles is more complex, the gang does not have as much changes in membership over the years, or as much numbers as other groups. Wolfgang Cutler, Fred Wick, Skezz Henke and Franklin Winthrop are some prominent soldiers of the gang. The Brotherhood has close ties with The Bikers, one of the few collective allies in Oz. Both groups are made up of all white members and who stick together mostly out of shared skin color and white interests in a predominately black prison. The Brotherhood are also shown as having extensive connections with several high ranking C.O.s in Oz, including Len Lopresti and Karl Metzger, who are secretly Aryan supporters.

Throughout the series the Aryans primarily feud with the Muslim inmates, whose religion and values, as well as African-American backgrounds, go against their white interests and racial beliefs that the Aryan's exclusively cater for. They also, along with the Homeboys, pose a significant racial threat. The two collective's mutual hatred for each other eventually escalates into a dangerous war instigated by Said and Schillinger, due to a long-running personal violent vendetta in the latter half of the series. Schillinger also makes a significant enemy in inmate and protagonist Tobias Beecher, who is the Aryan's main target of hostilities throughout the series. Despite their shared racial hatred towards each other, the Aryan Brotherhood and their Biker allies conflict with the Homeboys mostly on an indirect basis or due to basic racial tensions, as the Aryan's stance on drugs makes them minimally involved in the power disputes of the drug-trade, the Homeboy's primary concern. The Aryans also make enemies with the Italians late in the series. The Brotherhood are one of the most violent and sadistic gangs in Oz and are shown to often prey on the weak or unprotected prisoners, contributing to their constant sexual harassment and violent attacks on several individual and neutral figures who come across their path, such as Beecher, Cyril O'Reily, Adam Guenzel, Richie Hanlon, and Franklin Winthrop, making them one of the most hated gangs of Oz. Many of their individual targets are usually targeted to become "prags" for the gang, a slang term for "prisoner fag" used to dehumanize prisoners who are not homosexual, but are forced to commit homosexual acts for their pleasure.

Schillinger is also the supervising inmate in Oz's mail room, the work detail that the Aryans are assigned to and work throughout the series' duration. This gives allows the Aryans to read and have prior knowledge of the personal information of every prisoner in Oz.