Where does 1488 come from?
The numbers 14 and 88, used in various combinations, are a code used by neo-Nazis and white supremacists to broadcast hate speech in a covert manner and to show their alliance with others in their movement. The number 14 refers to David Lane, a notorious white supremacist leader and murderer, who at one point issued the 14-word statement: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” Lane, who was incarcerated for various crimes including the assassination of a Jewish radio host, wrote his infamous words in 1985 while in prison (he ultimately died in prison in 2007). The number 88 refers to the fact that H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 is HH. This stands for “Heil Hitler,” part of the historic Nazi salute. Essentially, 1488 is a callback to these two figures and their racist ideologies.
In Germany, overtly Nazi symbols such as the swastika are banned from use, so these codes have been a way for Neo-Nazis to circumvent these laws. According to Michael Weiss, an expert on German right-wing extremism, there are at least 150 such codes, and they are hidden everywhere, from license plates to signs at football games. Many white supremacists tailor their crimes according to these numbers. For example, in 2008, the presidential candidacy of Barack Obama prompted two Tennessee white supremacists to put together an assassination attempt. Both men were arrested, and it was revealed that in addition to plotting to murder Obama, they also hoped to murder 88 people, and then to behead 14 African-American children.
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